Physician and Physicist
by AndromedaMarine
Summary: She is the physician; he the physicist. Rodney and Jennifer exchange emails that quickly go from professional to personal. Documents the development of their relationship. Written in email-narrative format alternating chapters. McKeller. 20/20. COMPLETE!
1. Chapter 1

**Physician and Physicist by AndromedaMarine**

To: Dr. Jennifer Keller, Chief Medical Officer (CMO)  
From: Dr. M. Rodney McKay, Department Head of Science and Research (DHSR)  
Subject: (no subject)  
Timestamp: 5 April 2010 1422 ZULU

Dr. J. Keller,

I would like to lodge a complaint concerning one of your department's nurses. I can't remember his name, but he was very rude and used an entirely too-large needle for some unnecessary blood test that will _not_ have any anomalies in it. I haven't been off-world in a week due to SGA-1 being on mandatory stand down after Colonel Sheppard twisted something while doing something else with the village leader's daughter that was quite inappropriate for a standard "meet and greet." So, therefore, I'm blaming him.

I hope you put a note in that nurse's employment record or at the very least reprimand him for uncalled-for harm of a Department Head. Further, I don't even think a blood test was required, since all I was in there for was to re-fill my painkiller supply. And get another epinephrine pen. I used the other one after Colonel Sheppard forgot to tell me that the chicken we had for dinner last Wednesday was actually _lemon_ chicken. So you can see why I'm angry.

Regards,

Dr. M. R. McKay

----

To: Dr. M. Rodney McKay, DHSR  
From: Dr. Jennifer Keller, CMO  
Subject: RE: (no subject)  
Timestamp: 5 April 2010 1507 ZULU

Rodney,

You can blame me for your discomfort. I told that nurse (Jamie Anderson) to draw blood since _I_ saw an anomaly in your post-mission blood work from last week. Yes, from the trip when John twisted both his elbow and his knee while attempting a maneuver a person could only accomplish with the flexibility of a preadolescent child. I'll make sure next time Anderson uses the butterfly needles if the regular size elicited significant pain.

If you're concerned about that anomaly I saw, please drop by the infirmary later tonight, near the end of my shift. I'll have your file out for review since I have to send an update to Mr. Woolsey anyways. Before I forget, why didn't I hear about you using your epi-pen on Wednesday? You would've had to come to the infirmary for that.

And Rodney, this is a private email conversation. Drop the titles.

See you soon,

Jennifer

----

To: Dr. Jennifer Keller, CMO  
From: Dr. M. Rodney McKay, DHSR  
Subject: RE: Re: (no subject)  
Timestamp: 5 April 2010 1526 ZULU

Jennifer,

Well, I'm certainly not going to blame you for something Anderson did. I distinctly remember _him_ holding the needle, not you. Besides, you're too perfect to be blamed for anything anyway. But butterfly needles would be a pleasant change.

The reason you probably haven't heard about the lemon chicken incident is because Carson was on call that evening and I told him not to wake you or mention I'd had an allergic reaction. As I recall, you had just finished pulling 25 hours of nonstop work attempting to manage that influx of Athosian flu-sufferers from the mainland (and there _were_ a lot of them), as well as patch up Captain Kirk. He must not have been entirely over the pain meds you gave him since he clearly forgot to mention the fact that it was lemon chicken. But I digress. You needed some sleep and it would've been counterproductive for Carson to have called you in.

Will you still be in your office if I stop by around 1900? I have to fix a console in Janus's lab that got disabled by a nasty power surge when an incompetent prat removed the power source and then jammed it right back in without going through the proper safety and buffering calibrations. It shouldn't take more than three hours, but with our luck and how badly it was damaged, I might be longer.

Regards,

Rodney

----

To: Dr. M. Rodney McKay, DHSR  
From: Dr. Jennifer Keller, CMO  
Subject: RE: Re: re: (no subject)  
Timestamp: 5 April 2010 1610 ZULU

Rodney,

First off, I'm not perfect, and don't argue with me about it. That's final.

That was nice of you to want to let me catch up on sleep, but you really should have told me about it. I know how hard you make Carson's work in giving you decent medical care, and I've also noticed that you don't make it so hard when it's me. So really you just caused yourself more suffering, and that makes me sad.

My shift ends at 1730 and after that I suppose I'll just be getting dinner and then go back to my quarters. I don't mind if you want to stop by there instead; it's not a far walk from your own. Take all the time you need with that console; Janus's lab is much more important than that anomaly in your blood work. The "incompetent prat" wouldn't happen to be Dr. Avery Fox, would it? I treated Dr. Fox for extensive hand burns this morning.

See you soon,

Jennifer

----

To: Dr. Jennifer Keller, CMO  
From: Dr. M. Rodney McKay, DHSR  
Subject: There Are Too Many "RE's" In This Subject Line  
Timestamp: 5 April 2010 1635 ZULU

Jennifer,

I would hardly call Avery Fox a doctor. I'm surprised he got his PhD when he's clearly an incompetent prat. Yes, it was him who nearly fried all the circuits on that console. Speaking of which, I'll be leaving my workstation after I send this email, so you can send your reply to my private account – I'll have a data tablet with me.

I promise I'll next tell you when Sheppard tries to kill me with lemon chicken. What are you talking about, me making Carson's work difficult? He brings it on himself, you know. Always poking fun and needles. Don't be sad, Jennifer. You're my primary physician anyways; I just wanted you to get some rest. If it makes you feel any better I'll try to be less abrasive when Carson has to treat my wounds and illnesses.

If you really don't mind, then I suppose I could stop by your quarters after I finish fixing what Dr. Fox screwed up. Serves him right to get burned.

Regards,

Rodney

----

_A/N: It was so tempting to insert little paragraphs in between the emails to narrate both their POVs... but I'll be alternating chapters with email then story format, email, story format. R&R!_


	2. Chapter 2

**Physician and Physicist by AndromedaMarine**

**1422 ZULU**

Rodney rubbed hard at the crease of his elbow, trying to banish the latent pain of Jamie Anderson drawing blood. Twerp. That test wasn't even required. The physicist sat hunched at his lab's workstation, typing out a complaint email to Jennifer, detailing exactly what he thought of the nurse's unnecessary actions. Okay, he really blamed Sheppard, since it was John's inappropriate behavior that ultimately led to Rodney needing refills of Advil and epinephrine anyway. Bastard. At John's age he shouldn't have been trying that move to begin with, let alone with the daughter of that dinky little village's leader.

Rodney muttered a curse under his breath. Having finished with writing the email, he moved the cursor over the send button and viciously stabbed down on the mouse. Complaint now hurtling on its way through cyberspace towards the infirmary, Rodney pushed away from his laptop and rolled across the room to the array of desktop monitors to pull up the diagnostic of the Ancient console Dr. Fox had nearly destroyed.

Talking primarily to himself and the empty lab (Radek had taken a break for his sanity's sake and all the techs were scared, or worse, of Rodney), the scientist grumbled, "Of all the twits the IOA had to approve, how did I manage to get stuck with Avery Fox?"

Soon Rodney became immersed in the diagnostic, formulating the best plan to fix the console. He would deal with Dr. Fox later.

----

**1507 ZULU**

Jennifer sat heavily at the cluttered desk in her infirmary office and powered her computer. Smiling at the picture on her desktop background – a photo taken the year before of her, Rodney, Carson, and Laura all standing with arms around each other – the physician clicked on her email icon.

Pleasantly surprised to find a new email from Rodney waiting for her, she settled back and opened the message. Mildly amused by Rodney's description of John's injuries, and troubled by his mention of the lemon chicken incident, the doctor hit 'reply' and began to smoothly type. She finished and sent it a few minutes later, letting it drift to the back of her mind as she focused on John Sheppard's file and mission report.

Jennifer found John's injuries a cross between amusing and annoying, since the veteran playboy should have remembered his physical age. Having the mindset of an eighteen year-old didn't make up for the fact he lived inside a forty-plus year-old body that had problems of its own.

She had just reached the part of John's report that vaguely described how he had managed to twist both elbow and knee, and that Ronon had to carry him fireman-style back through the gate, when Carson stuck his head through the open doorway.

"That wouldn't be the colonel's file, would it, love?"

Jennifer grinned. "And if it is?"

Carson chuckled. "I'd hoped you'd lend it to me, since I wanted to read his report for myself. I've heard it's quite a tale."

She was about to hand the report to the Scot when the nurses outside called for them to help treat three Marines who had badly lost a no-rules bantos match with Teyla and Ronon. As the American took another glance at her computer, she realized she would have to wait to see what Rodney had said back: a new message from the grumpy physicist sat patiently waiting in her inbox.

Jennifer sighed and joined Carson.

----

**1526 ZULU**

The unmistakable sound of a new email arriving drew Rodney away from the six monitors with console schematics on them. He stood and stretched, groaning as he both felt and heard his back pop. He pulled a stool over to the laptop and sat down, clicking on the bolded message from Jennifer Keller. As he read it, he scoffed, "_Her _fault? She wasn't holding the needle." He read over her second-to-last paragraph a few times, wondering if she really did want him to visit her at the end of her shift. _That's a new one_, he mused.

He didn't exactly think it over when he typed out his reply, telling her that she was perfect and that he didn't want to wake her up for something as "insignificant" as an allergic reaction. In fact he usually lost all higher brain functions when near, with, or talking to her, so it was no surprise that he didn't re-read the email before hitting send.

For a few moments he let his mind drift off to think about Jennifer, wondering why she paid him any attention anyway. He was just a grumpy scientist whose reputation for "emotionally injuring" the new science recruits preceded him all the way back to General O'Neill's post in Washington. Why would someone as gorgeous as Jennifer Keller want to spend time with _him_? Surely she found the military personnel much more appealing… Right?

He jumped off the stool in terror when Radek Zelenka came in cursing loudly in Czech.

"Oh, hello Rodney, did I startle you?" Radek stopped to observe Rodney. In his hands he held two cups of coffee.

Rodney smoothed invisible wrinkles in his blue shirt. "As a matter of fact, yes, yes you did." He reached out and grabbed one of the cups in Radek's hands. "Thanks," he muttered, meekly taking a sip.

Radek shook his head and swept past the astrophysicist to settle down at the monitors with the console schematics. Rodney yelped when the Czech clicked a button and they all disappeared.

"What are you doing?" Rodney cried, leaping in between Radek and the computers. "I was using those!"

Calmly, Radek pushed his glasses back up his nose and blinked up at his boss. "If you would please stop crushing my foot, and look at the bottom of the screens, you would see that I only minimized them. What is bothering you, Rodney? You seem jumpier than usual."

Rodney distanced himself from his second and noted that the windows were indeed minimized. "Yes, well…"

"Well, I think you should take a break from Dr. Fox's mistake. Go get lunch, Rodney. You have not eaten since breakfast at 0630."

He couldn't find a decent comeback to that one, so Rodney locked the laptop and slouched from the lab, muttering some of Radek's choice Czech swear words.

Once the physicist had disappeared, Radek chuckled, thinking back on Rodney's reaction.

----

**1610 ZULU**

With the Marines patched up and taken care of, and having given Ronon a firm talking-to about beating up the new recruits, Jennifer found herself back in her office. It had taken her and Carson just under an hour to give the bloodied soldiers a total of forty-two stitches. For a moment Jennifer's mind went to _The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy_, amused that the stitches just happened to be at 42. She wondered what Rodney thought of those books, and decided it would be entertaining to ask him when he stopped by later. If anything she could laugh while he picked apart every little bit of Douglas Adams's ridiculous science (not to mention that Babel Fish).

The physician opened the email and as soon as she started reading her reply formed in her head.

She pulled the elastic band from her hair and shook out her blonde strands, reading her first sentence aloud as she typed it. "First off, I'm not perfect, and don't argue with me about it. That's final." She sighed and read Rodney's email again. "How can you not tell me about something as serious as an allergic reaction to citrus, Rodney?" she asked herself quietly, typing quickly with determination. This was one physicist who would know exactly how she felt. She knew it would be important for her to support Rodney's work. _Where did that come from? It's not like we're dating._ The hopeful side of her brain interrupted. _Yet._

Jennifer realized that by 1900 she would be already in her quarters, getting ready for bed. Not feeling entirely sure of herself, she asked Rodney if he wouldn't mind coming by her quarters instead. She remembered Dr. Fox from that morning, when he came to her nearly in tears, his hands looking sufficiently charred. He had managed to give her the basics of what happened, but forgot to mention he hadn't followed safety protocols. She decided that during his next checkup she would press him for more details (having already gotten the whole story from Rodney anyway) to see if he would be honest.

The American hit 'send' and rubbed her hands over her face, musing about the strange relationship between herself and the Department Head of Science and Research. For a few moments she wondered why he even gave her a second glance at all, being the smartest man in three galaxies. Didn't he have more important things to worry about than how much sleep she got? Pushing the thought from her mind, Jennifer once again picked up John Sheppard's file and began reading where she left off.

----

**1635 ZULU**

Rodney hit his head on the underside of the monitor table when he heard the email notification go off. Cursing loudly, he crawled into view and rubbed the base of his skull. He really hoped it wasn't Sheppard sending _another_ apology email, claiming he seriously didn't know that chicken had been practically painted with lemon. So far he had gotten about six. This would be seven. Radek had left again to speak with Dr. Fox about his destructive mistake. The Czech had rightly predicted that Rodney would shred Fox limb from limb if he had to do it himself.

The physicist reached the laptop and smiled when he saw this: **RE: Re: re: (no subject)**. He opened the message and nearly stopped breathing when he read that she wanted him to come by her quarters that evening. He sucked in a breath of air to remind his heart it had to keep beating. Chuckling to himself (because he thought he was crazy) he typed out a calm, neutral reply, adding at the end that Avery Fox had brought the burns on himself and that he deserved it.

Quickly he changed the title in the subject line, read the email over, and clicked send.

He collected the lonesome tablet PC lying next to the schematic monitors, swept the lab with his eyes to make sure he hadn't forgotten anything, and set off for Janus's lab. He passed John in the hallway.

"Hey," Sheppard called out belatedly, as a few seconds had gone by between Rodney passing and John realizing it was Rodney.

Rodney turned and smirked. "You know, you had amazing luck to have sprained your left elbow...and your right knee. That way you can just barely manage on the crutches."

John scowled at him, having apparently forgotten his question or comment.

Shrugging, Rodney continued on his way, the tablet PC tucked under his arm. "It's your own damn fault," he called out over his shoulder, leaving an irately confused John Sheppard in the corridor.

----

**1746 ZULU**

As soon as her shift ended at 1730, Jennifer speed-walked to the commissary and ate dinner as quickly as she could; she knew Rodney had probably sent her a reply by now and she wanted to get back to her quarters to check it out in private. Just as she was about to get up and dispose of her tray, two of the three Marines she'd stitched up earlier sat down at her table. One, with exceedingly broad shoulders, grinned at her.

"Can we sit here?"

Nonchalantly, Jennifer shrugged. "Go ahead. I'm leaving anyway."

The other Marine lifted an eyebrow. "You sure? Haven't you gotten dessert yet?"

"I'm not in the mood for dessert." Jennifer asked herself why she was still sitting. She started to get to her feet when Broad Shoulders spoke again.

"What _are _you in the mood for?"

Feeling confident, she leaned towards them. When they leaned in to meet her, she said loudly, "Most certainly NOT what you're thinking." With that crystal clear statement, she stood and walked away without a backwards glance. She could tell that the Marines were grumbling to themselves, and she smiled because of it. Served them right, being vulgar to women – and especially her! Their doctor! Next time they came into _her_ infirmary she would use on them those big needles that Rodney despised.

Ten minutes later she passed through the doorway of her quarters, sighing and pulling off her medical department jacket, tossing it onto the back of a chair. She retrieved her laptop and sat cross legged on her bed, the laptop on her legs. She clicked on the email icon again, and smiled at Rodney's email. Vaguely it crossed her mind that she hadn't been this excited about an email from a colleague/friend since Carolyn Lam had sent her a heavily encrypted message inviting her to Cheyenne Mountain to learn about her new assignment.

This was Rodney she was corresponding with. Rodney. Just Rodney. Right?

Settling back into the pillows, Jennifer Keller began writing an email destined for Rodney McKay's personal email account.

For some reason, that thought sent a pleasant shiver down her spine.


	3. Chapter 3

**Physician and Physicist by AndromedaMarine**

To: Rodney (smartguysfinishlast)  
From: Jennifer (blondesprefergentlemen)  
Subject: The Only Thing I Could Think of was "Hi"  
Timestamp: 5 April 2010 1746 ZULU

Dear Rodney,

I don't know how the other women on Atlantis can stand going out with the likes of John. Not him in particular, I mean, I just mean the military types. At dinner two of the Marines I stitched up for bantos wounds asked me "what I was in the mood for." Honestly I don't think I've been so disgusted (other than in college – that was a nightmare). At least I didn't give them the one-fingered salute or anything; I just made it absolutely clear that they were pigs. Actually I don't know why I'm telling you all this – it just seems like you'd understand.

I just realized how appropriate my email address is! I guess gentlemen prefer blondes, but blondes really prefer gentlemen. Or, at least, I'm a blonde who does. Whoops, that was a tangent I didn't mean to go off on. Sorry.

You know what I mean about Carson – whenever he treats you for those minor wounds you get off-world: a bump or scrape, stepping on a nail, falling down an abandoned mine – you just make his work more difficult by griping and calling his profession "voodoo." You don't do that with me. You may not think so, but I notice a lot of things.

I hope you're not going to emasculate Dr. Fox, Rodney; I'll give him the chance to be honest when he gets his bandages changed, but I'll need the full story from you first – if you promise to be at least semi-objective. No colorful words (and that includes Radek's favorite Czech curses); just plain and simple what he did. I think it's a bit much to say he deserved getting those burns – you should know that burned hands are extremely painful. Dr. Fox was lucky, considering.

Don't forget to eat dinner; Radek came and told me all you've eaten today was a small breakfast and a late lunch with entirely too much coffee in between. You don't want your glucose level to fall too low.

See you soon,

Jennifer

----

To: Jennifer(blondesprefergentlemen)  
From: Rodney (smartguysfinishlast)  
Subject: "Hi" is Entirely Too Boring to Put in a Subject Line  
Timestamp: 5 April 2010 1811 ZULU

Jennifer,

I've been telling Sheppard to regulate the asses under his command. Who are these Jarheads? I can give them cold showers and blocked toilets for a month if you want. I can also shut off heat, lighting, give them sticky doors – basically you name it, I can do it. Actually I do understand, since I know that guys can be complete ass-heads when it comes to women. I try not to be an ass, but it's just something that I've lived with all my life – I was always smarter than everyone and the ladies didn't seem to like that I reminded them of that. A lot.

I wouldn't know about gentlemen preferring blondes. But I think there was a Marilyn Monroe movie with that title. It was one of Jeannie's favorites growing up. She watched it so often that all I remember from the film is Monroe singing "Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend." Go ahead, call me a girl – I've seen _Gentlemen Prefer Blondes_ and know a girly song. It's all Jeannie's fault.

If I remember correctly, and I do, you fell down that abandoned mine with me. And I wouldn't call those hand wounds we both got "minor." My palms hurt for three months. It was painful to pick up a coffee mug in the morning. Okay, I admit it's not voodoo when you're treating me. It's just second nature for me to torment Carson. It's a mutual thing we've done ever since we met. He knows I don't mean it. Usually.

I'm letting Radek do the emasculation. If I even see Dr. Fumbles McStupid (and this time I'm not talking about Radek) in the next month, he'll be in your infirmary for a much more than hand burns. You want to know what he did to Janus's lab? Why don't you come down and see for yourself? He basically destroyed the console that controls the Janus Database. You're right he was lucky – lucky I can fix his mess.

Jennifer, I promise I'll eat something before I collapse from exhaustion. Zelenka lied; I had a big breakfast and an energy bar before lunch.

Regards,

Rodney

----

To: Rodney (smartguysfinishlast)  
From: Jennifer (blondesprefergentlemen)  
Subject: "(No Subject)" is More Boring than "Hi" in a Subject Line  
Timestamp: 5 April 2010 1820 ZULU

Dear Rodney,

I very much appreciate the fact that you can (and probably will) make the Marines' lives miserable for as long as you can get away with it, but you don't have to. I made it clear exactly what I thought and I'm going to have a conversation with John about his subordinates.

Rodney, you're not an ass. Anything _but_ an ass. You're just a little grumpier than most. Okay, a lot grumpier. But you make up for it in how much you care for the ones...well...the ones you care about. Most girls can't stand it when a guy tells them he's smarter. There's a reason: most girls are smarter than guys. You just happen to be in the small percentage of men whose intelligence exceeds the collective intelligence of MIT's last graduating class.

Oh, I remember very well that we were both in that abandoned mine. I also remember that Sam Carter broke her leg, and you saved all three of us.

I would visit you down in the lab but you'll be coming here anyway. Besides, I have a backlog of John's injuries to document, and Mr. Woolsey wants staff evaluations by the end of next week. I have a lot to do.

I don't want to distract you, but there's something I wanted to ask when you stop by.

See you soon,

Jennifer

----

To: Jennifer (blondesprefergentlemen)  
From: Rodney (smartguysfinishlast)  
Subject: "(No Subject)" is as Unassuming as a Complaint Can Get in a Subject Line  
Timestamp: 5 April 2010 1838 ZULU

Jennifer,

I should go with you to Sheppard about those Marines. Come to think of it, some of the female lab techs have been talking about how some of the new military types tried to feel them up a few weeks ago. I only remember because Sheppard walked in a second later and they all shut up really quickly.

It's nice that someone thinks I'm not an ass. I mean, I'm not exactly the epitome of gentlemanliness. Well, thank you for the compliment about MIT. Speaking of their last graduating class, I think that idiot Fox was among them. So much for measuring up.

When we were in that mine I did what I had to do to get everyone out alive. It just happened to work out that both you and Sam were there too.

Too late for not wanting to distract me. You've already done so, but I absolutely do not mind in the least. Is this question something I should be worried about? Is that blood anomaly a serious one? Am I on a timeline here?

I'll be by your quarters in twenty minutes.

Rodney

----

To: Rodney (smartguysfinishlast)  
From: Jennifer (blondesprefergentlemen)  
Subject: Subject Lines are Overrated  
Timestamp: 5 April 2010 1849 ZULU

Dear Rodney,

What's your opinion of the Babel Fish?

Yours,

Jennifer


	4. Chapter 4

**Physician and Physicist by AndromedaMarine**

**1849 ZULU**

Halfway to the transporter that would take him to the barracks level, the notification went off on Rodney's data pad. He stopped in the corridor and opened the message, and stared at it for a decent five minutes. First of all, the email consisted of twelve words, ending with _Yours, Jennifer_. Had she been thinking straight while writing that? As he had while reading her other emails, Rodney felt warm inside. There was just something about the American doctor that canceled out most of the bad parts of his personality. He just couldn't be angry around her. The warm feeling stayed with him. Rodney realized he would be late if he didn't remember to use his feet, and he hoofed it down the rest of the corridor to jump in the transporter.

Just before the flash of white light engulfed him he thought, _Why does she want to know what I think of the Babel Fish? It's just a creation of science fiction. A very good creation of scifi… _

A moment later he stepped into the barracks hallway and set a brisk pace to Jennifer's quarters, which happened (by no fault of John Sheppard) to be only eight doors down from his own. At exactly 1900 he waved his hand across the sensor to let her know he had arrived. This was just Jennifer, so why were his palms sweating?

----

**1900 ZULU**

Jennifer heard the "doorbell" go off and was startled that her heart began pounding. She smoothed the tank top that had been beneath her medical jacket, and reached for Rodney's file. She opened the door and stepped out into the hall. "Hi," she said with a smile.

"Yes, hello." Inconspicuously he dried his palms against the sides of his pants. "So, is that anomaly something serious? I'm not going to kick the bucket, am I?"

"Not if I have anything to do with it." Jennifer flipped open the folder and looked at it for a moment. "Actually… I don't think you even have to worry. After a week it's still there, but Carson says that something on that planet, whether you ate or drank it, or if it was just something in the air – whatever it was made an existing DNA marker activate."

Rodney swallowed, trying not to look at her tank top. "And what does that mean?"

"It means that the ATA gene you had before receiving the therapy has activated on its own. It's still not as strong as John's, but you'll be able to control Ancient tech more easily." She shifted her weight to her other foot, putting her hips off-balance. "Your gene was dormant before, and now it's not."

"Really? Is it going to last?" His expression radiated smug excitement. "Ha! Now Sheppard can't brag about having superior DNA anymore!"

"Oh, John's gene will still be the strongest of the naturals, but you just bumped Carson into third place and Evan into fourth. For how long, I don't know and couldn't even begin to guess. It could be permanent."

At this Rodney's grin grew wider. "Well, that explains why it wasn't as hard to access the Janus Database as I thought it would be after I fixed half of it. Usually I have to interface my laptop but this time it worked at the touch of a button. Which is weird considering Fox basically destroyed it."

Jennifer smiled. "That's good. That the console worked."

They fell into silence, both looking a little bit past other. "So," Rodney started, and began gesturing vaguely with his hands. "I should go get some food – you know, keep my glucose levels up..."

He made to walk away, but Jennifer caught his forearm. "I said I had a question, remember?"

Rodney nodded, looking bewildered.

"What's your scientific opinion of the Babel Fish?"

A grin spread across his face. "Check your email in an hour."

With that he went and got his dinner, leaving Jennifer slightly dazed, as he had leant in quite close to tell her that.

----

**1925 ZULU**

Rodney knew he would have to wait until 2000 hours before sending that email. So he sat in the commissary for an inordinately long period of time, letting his brain go through different thought processes that it probably shouldn't have gone through. After all, his imagination was as broad as he was intelligent, and it didn't help that he vividly remembered Jennifer and that tank top of hers.

The physician and the physicist had known each other for almost five years but neither had made any definitive move (much to Rodney's chagrin – Jennifer was a gorgeous woman who seemed to show interest in him). He thought back on how he loathed her at first, her taking Carson's post after that blasted Sunday afternoon during which he should have been fishing. Then he had realized she was only doing her job, and she had been just as torn up over Carson's death as he had.

Rodney never knew that Beckett and Keller had been medical school classmates, and it had been Carson who suggested to Dr. Lam that Jennifer be his replacement if ever the time came. Now that the physicist thought back on it he realized what a total ass he _had_ been to her. And she still thought the world of him.

God, he really didn't deserve her. _Where did that come from? You're not even dating her, you idiot_. Rodney huffed to himself as Teyla sat down across from him.

"It is late to be eating the evening meal," she said as plainly as she always did. She had Torren on her hip. "I have heard from Radek that there were problems in Janus's lab. Did you manage to fix them?"

Rodney picked at his food. "Only halfway. What's weird is that somehow..." He trailed off, looking intently at Torren. Quite unbidden, the thought of Jennifer having his child crossed his mind. He shook the image out of his head and looked back up at Teyla. "Somehow my dormant ATA gene has activated."

She looked confused. "Was it not activated by the retrovirus Carson developed?"

"My natural gene activated. It makes me the second-strongest natural on Atlantis. Before, it was only emulating what John has." He decided on what to eat and took a bite of the meatloaf.

Teyla took a sip of her tea. "How did that happen?"

"Jennifer thinks it was MG3-188. Something in the air, food. We don't know."

Teyla smiled to herself. "It is truly wonderful that good things are happening for you and Jennifer." Before Rodney realized what she said she left him alone, to mull over her (and his) words. He finished his meal and wandered to his quarters, to think of the American and write an email.

----

**2000 ZULU**

He clicked send. Knowing she would respond within minutes, he looked around his quarters and for the heck of it, put a few stray articles of clothing away and tidied up around his bed. He hadn't been _this_ nervous at all. Ever.

At 2006 his email notification went off.


	5. Chapter 5

**Physician and Physicist by AndromedaMarine**

To: Jennifer (blondesprefergentlemen)  
From: Rodney (smartguysfinishlast)  
Subject: Subject Lines May be Overrated but the Babel Fish Isn't  
Timestamp: 5 April 2010 2000 ZULU

Dear Jennifer,

First of all I am quite confident that I am speaking with a woman who is familiar with Douglas Adams' _The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy_ books (all five of them). Second of all, despite the fact that Adams' intention was to be terribly clever with his wacky creations (notably the Triple-Breasted Whore of Eroticon Six, as well as other "minor" characters whose purposes are not quite fully understood), he inadvertently came up with some truly astounding creatures.

To paraphrase Adams, the Babel Fish is a small, yellow and leechlike creature that can convert brain waves into sound waves and ultimately let the "owner" comprehend every language in the galaxy. It's also said that because there is no way in hell the Babel Fish could have come about by means of evolution, it's proof that God exists. But since God relies on faith and says that without faith He is nothing, He disappears in a "puff of logic."

Scientifically it would be impossible for anything to live off of brain waves and excrete gibberish into English, but it's one hell of an idea. Fortunately in our experience we've lucked out that most of the races we come into contact with speak English (and what is up with that?) or Old English (and that's exactly what Jackson gets excited about).

So all in all Adams created a pretty darn cool little creature. Unfortunately this little beauty doesn't exist. I could really use one to understand the language of women.

Yours,

Rodney

----

To: Rodney (smartguysfinishlast)  
From: Jennifer (blondesprefergentlemen)  
Subject: All You Need to Do is Listen  
Timestamp: 5 April 2010 2006 ZULU

Dear Rodney,

Well, put simply, that's not what I expected you to say about the Babel Fish. True, for some guys that are hopeless when it comes to women, the B.F. would be pretty helpful. But all _you_ need to do is listen. You're quite good at it when you're not panicking about imminent destruction.

Douglas Adams is one of my favorite authors. Although the science is entirely unscientific, I do wish some of it existed. I wonder if the Somebody Else's Problem Field would work on the Wraith...

Yours,

Jennifer

----

**2008 ZULU **

**PegasusNet IM Service**

**RM: **I figured you would be online.

**RM: **You're online, right?

**JK: **Oh! You startled me. It's not my fault that the sound on my laptop was at 96/100. I nearly threw it off the bed.

**RM: **Woolsey would be really unhappy if he had to requisition a new laptop for the CMO. Plus it would take probably over three weeks for the Daedalus to deliver it. And a lot can happen in three weeks. Somebody could decide to attack us and you'd need a computer – and you wouldn't have one. Bad idea to throw it off the bed.

**JK: **I would just steal one of yours. You have too many anyway.

**RM: **I beg your pardon! Those computers are required for the smooth sailing of this city. Just like me.

**JK: **(laughs) You have quite the Messiah Complex. I don't have anything against that, of course. I just think it's funny.

**RM: **By the way, we do have a Somebody Else's Problem Field. It's called the cloak. And it worked on the Wraith a few times. I still need a Babel Fish. It would help with knowing what Radek really says when he thinks I'm not listening. So far the only Czech I've managed to pick up are the curses. How did that happen?

**JK: ** Rhetorical question or not, it happened because you curse just as much as Radek does. Possibly more than.

**RM: **I resent that.

**JK: **(shrugs) It's the truth. Although I've noticed you tone it down when around me. I appreciate it.

**RM: **I do? Huh. Weird.

**JK: **Weird like your ATA gene activated weird or weird like this isn't something that should have happened weird?

**RM: **The first one. More like "weird I never noticed that before." For some reason I can't be angry around you.

**JK: **(smiles) That's part of why I like spending time with you. It's too bad you're almost always doing something for the survival of the city.

**RM: **(pretends to think) I could give Radek more responsibilities that I usually keep for myself. I am the smartest you know, and the resident genius who can fluently read Ancient.

**JK: **You'll also be under less stress, and have better moods. So both as your doctor and friend, I definitely agree.

**RM: **You're supposed to say that.

**JK: **So what if I am? I happen to think it's a good idea. Occasionally doctors agree with what their "supposed" to say. It's not like I'm "supposed" to say I like spending time with you. I just do. Actually, I like it more than working with Carson. And better than going off-world. What do you say to that?

**RM: **Well, that came as a surprise.

**JK: **Why?

**RM: **Usually beautiful women prefer guys like Sheppard.

**JK: **Haven't you paid attention to my email address? _I _prefer gentlemen. Watching John try to offer comfort to a woman is like watching someone get killed. It's painful. You'd think since he's so smooth with the aliens he'd be smooth all the time. Nope. So, I reiterate. John's not a gentleman when it counts.

**JK: **Wait, you think I'm beautiful?

**RM: **Very much so. I've thought so ever since we met. So am I right in thinking that you think I'm a gentleman? I remember saying I'm not the epitome of gentlemanliness...

**JK: **(blushes) Why, thanks. And of course I think you're a gentleman. At least when around me. :)

**RM:** Well...um...you're welcome. So let me get this straight: we've known each other for almost five years...have we ever had breakfast together?

**JK:** Nope.

**RM: **That's too bad. I guess we better start, then, huh?

**JK: **Sounds like a good idea.

**RM: **Want to have breakfast with me tomorrow morning at 0730?

**JK: **It's a date (smile).

**RM: **I had a splendid talking with you this evening. Wow – would you look at that: it's already 2100 hours. Well...

**JK: **Good night, Rodney. See you in the morning.

**RM: **Right. Good night. Sleep well.

----

To: Carson (scottishdoc)  
From: Jennifer (blondesprefergentlemen)  
Subject: Finally!  
Timestamp: 5 April 2010 2115 ZULU

Carson!

He finally asked me out! Five years...five years, and NOW we're having breakfast. Am I freaking out?

Love Jennifer

----

To: Jennifer (blondesprefergentlemen)  
From: Carson (scottishdoc)  
Subject: RE: Finally!  
Timestamp: 5 April 2010 2135 ZULU

Jennifer,

You're freaking out only slightly. But I'm happy for you! It sure took Rodney long enough.

I hope you have a wonderful breakfast.

Good luck, love.

Carson


	6. Chapter 6

**Physician and Physicist by AndromedaMarine**

**2135 ZULU**

Carson smiled as he read Jennifer's excited message. "It's about bloody time, Rodney," he muttered happily as he typed out his reply. The Scottish doctor hit send and leaned back in his chair, stretching the tight muscles of his back. He'd been trying to subtly convince Rodney to make a move for almost three years now. Carson had never met someone so stubborn.

The doctor pulled up the medical staff scheduling, and quickly gave Jennifer three days off, hoping that Rodney would do the same for himself and utilize the time well.

Being 2135 hours, sleep called to him, and he fell into the unconscious world thinking of how gorgeous Laura Cadman looked in his clothes.

----

**6 April 2010 0630 ZULU**

The alarm clock beside Jennifer's bed began to beep loudly in her ear. Slapping the snooze button viciously, Jennifer stared at her ceiling as the previous night trickled back to her. Rodney. God, she had never felt happier. This was better than the day she and Carson graduated from med school together. This was better than finding out about the Stargate Program! Suddenly energized, she threw back the covers and _then_ remembered she had an hour before she would see Rodney. She rolled out of bed and padded to her laptop. She pressed the power button and practically skipped into the bathroom.

She emerged fifteen minutes later refreshed, her hair stringy and wet from the shower. The computer fully booted and faster than her old computer on Earth, Jennifer opened her inbox.

A new email from Rodney waited at the top of her message list. Too excited to dress before reading it, she sat down and opened it wearing nothing but a towel.

----

To: Jennifer (blondesprefergentlemen)  
From: Rodney (smartguysfinishlast)  
Subject: Breakfast Date  
Timestamp: 6 April 2010 0500 ZULU

Dear Jennifer,

I will come by your quarters at 0715.

Already I miss talking to you.

Yours,

Rodney.

----

Jennifer's heart skipped a beat. He already missed her! Then she realized he would be at her door in twenty minutes. That was just barely enough time to make herself presentable. Unbidden, the delicious thought crossed her mind that she _could_ open the door in her towel...and effectively give Rodney a heart attack. She shook her head. Bad idea. She'd need a damn good explanation for Woolsey that wouldn't get her transferred back to Earth for killing the Department Head of Science and Research.

Another fifteen minutes later she was fully dressed and ready. She brushed her damp hair into a half-ponytail, letting her bangs softly frame her face.

The coiled feeling of excitement in her stomach flared when the doorbell went off.

----

**0715 ZULU**

Rodney smoothed his blue department shirt and tried to rein in his nervousness. He waved his hand over the sensor. His first "real" date since Katie Brown – but at least this time he knew he really, really liked the woman.

He wasn't as prepared as he thought when the door slid open.

"Jennifer..." he began, trailing off as his eyes traveled up and down her body. Finally he met her gaze and held it. "You look beautiful."

She blushed. "Thanks." But she wouldn't admit that she sort of forgot to breathe when she saw him in that tight-fitting shirt of his. The blue really made his eyes more gorgeous than ever. But she wouldn't tell him about his effect on her. Not yet.

It struck Rodney that he should probably be the gentleman she thought he was. He held out his arm. "Can we take the scenic route?"

Intrigued and delighted that she could touch him without checking for injuries, Jennifer eagerly hooked her arm through his. "Atlantis has a scenic route to the commissary?"

"Well it's not so much a scenic route as a stop at a secluded balcony to watch the sun rise." He turned to face her. "Is that okay?" he asked worriedly.

Jennifer beamed at him. "Anything's okay if it's with you."

Amazed that she genuinely wanted to be with him, Rodney confidently set the pace down the hall. A few minutes later he steered them into an unfamiliar corridor. Jennifer trusted Rodney, so she didn't ask him where they were going. The physicist navigated into a narrow corridor that Jennifer had completely missed.

Moments later they emerged into the hazy early morning light of Atlantica. They had a direct view of the horizon, with distant spires from two piers framing it.

"Wait for it..." Rodney breathed.

The sun broke over the distant horizon of shimmering water, immediately showering physician and physicist with beautiful light.

"Gorgeous, isn't it?"

Jennifer turned to see him looking out over the water. His gaze suddenly shifted to her.

"Sunrises aren't like this on Earth."

The physician smiled warmly. "They certainly aren't."

They remained on the balcony for another five minutes, neither sure if they should close that one foot of distance between them.

"Are we going to get breakfast or stand here all day?" Jennifer asked lightly.

Rodney started, having enjoyed the non-awkward silence between them. "Oh, yes, yes of course." He proffered his arm again and felt a trickle of fire slide down his spine when she slipped her hand into the crook of his elbow and pull herself only slightly against him.

Jennifer smiled widely to herself, glad that her dreams were finally coming true.

----

**0730 ZULU**

When they entered the commissary Jennifer expected Rodney to discreetly pull away, since she could not remember ever having seen him voluntarily touch someone in public. But he didn't. Secretly thrilled, Jennifer happily stayed with her arm through his.

They retrieved trays and loaded up with bacon, eggs, and hash browns, plus a coffee for each. _We even like the same foods,_ the physician mused.

Out of the corners of their eyes, Rodney and Jennifer respectively saw John and Carson.

John was still feeling the after-effects of the pain meds, and unceremoniously sat down next to Rodney, who was across from Jennifer. Carson groaned to himself. Didn't John have any sense of decency when it came to intruding? Apparently not.

Rodney felt the beginnings of lividness rise from the pit of his stomach. "Sheppard," he hissed. "Why the hell are you here?"

"Wonder if I could ask the same thing," he began, and somehow he managed to miss the evil look the physicist was giving him.

Jennifer, with tight lips, said, "John, if you would please find your own table, Rodney and I are trying to eat breakfast."

"With each other?" the colonel asked again, still failing to put together the puzzle. Before anyone could say anything else, Carson appeared by John's elbow.

"Colonel, if you would come with me," he said, tugging on the flyboy's arm. "I have some things to ask you."

John obediently stood up, gave Rodney and Jennifer a strange look, and followed the Scot away.

Rodney breathed a sigh of relief. "I swear he doesn't know the definition of tact." He took a sip of the coffee and broke off a piece of bacon. "You'd think he grew up with a pack of hillbillies."

Jennifer chuckled. "I have to put a note in John's file not to use that particular pain med next time. He hasn't been entirely lucid since last week's mission."

"He hasn't been lucid since that stint with the Ancients in that time-distortion field. Six months he spent with a bunch of meditating aliens who had no idea how to defend themselves." Rodney snorted at the memory.

Jennifer changed the subject. "As I recall, you were affected by an Ascension-machine and invented a new math. Besides not working, did that go anywhere?"

Rodney shifted at the mention of his near-death experience. "Well, I did write a five-hundred plus page book about Dr. Weir."

"Really?"

He nodded. "She was amazing. Brilliant. And then...nothing. Replicator. It's my fault."

"Actually, I was the one who convinced you to reactivate them against John's wishes."

"Well, this line of conversation has successfully become depressing," he quipped, stabbing his fork through a cluster of scrambled eggs. "So tell me, Jennifer, how did you first come to read Douglas Adams' masterpiece?"

Jennifer smiled. "My dad gave it to me as a birthday gift one year. He knew I loved science and technology...and thought I would get a kick out of Adams' ridiculous inventions. I did."

Rodney launched into his enthusiastic reply. The rest of their breakfast went on like this until 0845, when Jennifer happened to see her watch and realize she was fifteen minutes late for her shift. She hurriedly explained this to Rodney, who offered to walk her to the infirmary.

----

**0850 ZULU**

Jennifer rushed into the infirmary, closely trailed by the physicist. Nearly breathless, she found her scrubs and started to put them on. Carson caught her wrist and stopped her from continuing.

"I've given you the next three days off, love. You and Rodney can do whatever you like." He'd said it only quiet enough for Jennifer to hear.

"Really? But Carson, I'm the CMO."

"Yes, and I am your second, and can pull rank whenever I feel like it. Now go have fun."

Giving in, Jennifer shrugged out of the scrubs and rejoined Rodney. "Apparently I have the next three days off. What do you say, oh Department Head of Science and Research? Do you mind if this date lasts for three days?"

Sending Carson a silent "thank you," Rodney replied, "I most certainly do not. What shall we do first?"

Jennifer pretended to think. "Well, I've always wanted to see Atlantica from space."

----

_A/N: Chapter seven will be a continuation of their date. The next set of emails will be in chapter eight. _


	7. Chapter 7

**Physician and Physicist by AndromedaMarine**

**0900 ZULU**

Rodney tried to, but couldn't exactly believe how incredibly lucky he was. Unless some sort of disaster befell the great city (which with their track record, might happen), he had 72 hours to spend entirely with Jennifer. As physician and physicist made their way to the Jumper Bay, Rodney radioed Zelenka to let him know he would be in charge for the next three days, and to make sure Dr. Fox wasn't allowed near any Ancient Tech.

Jennifer's fingers were laced through Rodney's. It felt so natural to be this close after knowing and working with each other for almost five years. It didn't even cross Jennifer's mind that they were hardly taking it "slowly." Physician gave physicist's hand a slight squeeze, elated when she felt him return the pressure. Oh, the wonders of silent conversation.

Rodney started up Jumper Three, and tapped his earwig. "Mr. Woolsey, I'll be taking Jumper Three into orbit."

"Doctor McKay, I'm afraid to ask, but why?"

Rodney cleared his throat and, looking serious, began to speak. "Long-distance calibrations of the deep space satellite sensors in case there are any bursts of low level radiation that would alert us to a potential threat and..." he continued blithering on until Woolsey interrupted.

"I knew I'd be sorry for asking." Rodney could almost see their expedition leader rubbing his temples and shaking his head. "Fine, Doctor McKay. Just make sure you're back before the night shift. Oh, and tell Doctor Keller that I hope your 'mission' goes all according to plan. But then again, when people make plans around here they generally don't work out...as planned." Before Rodney could cough out a reply Woolsey had already disconnected.

His face flushed, the physicist pressed the button commanding the Bay ceiling to open. Jennifer noticed his pink cheeks and laid a hand on his arm.

"You all right? You seem a bit flushed."

"Woolsey...uh...he knows you're with me. In here."

To Rodney's surprise, Jennifer began to laugh.

"What's so funny?"

"Everyone's going to find out eventually, Rodney. You know, Carson is probably the one who told Mr. Woolsey. And when Carson starts a rumor, it's bound to travel faster than someone going through a wormhole."

Rodney looked at her – stared, really – sort of in shock by what she had said. _Eventually. As in she wants to be with me in the future. Wait – who hijacked her body this time??_

"Rodney?" The Jumper was still resting comfortably in the Bay. "Atlantica. From space. You kind of have to fly the Jumper off the planet."

He forced his attention to the controls and the HUD appeared. "Right. Space."

----

**1040 ZULU**

They had made one full orbit around Atlantica, but Rodney being Rodney, he had no idea what to do now that he and the physician were alone several miles above the atmosphere.

Jennifer sighed happily and rose from the copilot's seat to stretch, inadvertently causing Rodney to lose focus of reality. Even with the extra boost from his now-natural ATA gene, the Jumper tilted. "Rodney, we're not going back yet, are we?"

Physicist looked out the window and quickly corrected the flight path, then hit the Ancient version of autopilot so it wouldn't happen again. "Sorry. I got… I got distracted." He met her eyes and smiled sheepishly. "I guess it's been happening a lot, lately. Around you."

Jennifer's cheeks turned pink. "I know the feeling."

His throat tightened significantly. Stammering, he said, "I always seem to get nervous and ramble when I'm nervous because – because – "

"Rodney?" Jennifer stood partially in front of him and leaned carefully back against the console.

"Because I like you and I'm wondering why on Earth – why in Pegasus – you wanted to go on a date with me." He expelled a big breath.

Jennifer smiled. "Haven't we already covered this? I prefer gentlemen, and as far as men go on Earth or any other planet, you're the only one I've met who didn't try to get in my pants seconds after we met. While it took you about five years to make a move, I'm confident it will be well worth the wait."

Rodney swallowed. "Certainly there have been other guys who didn't come onto you as soon as you met."

Jennifer shrugged. "Maybe, but you're the first one I've liked in return."

Rodney felt a surge of confidence. He stood (which put his body within inches of Jennifer's) and gently rested his hands on her waist, waiting for her to signal discomfort. She didn't. He cocked his head slightly to the right. "What would you do if I kissed you right now?"

Excitement building, Jennifer said softly, "I'd kiss you back."

Their eyes locked, Rodney began to lean in. He could taste her breath, smell the honeysuckle shampoo she'd used, and just as he felt their lips brush, the loud, obnoxious and tinny voice of Colonel John Sheppard blasted through the Jumper radios.

"Yo, Rodney! What're you doin' up there with Jumper Three?"

Jennifer gave an exasperated groan and let her forehead drop firmly onto Rodney's shoulder. _He smells good,_ she thought. _He smells like home._ "His meds seriously still haven't worn off? How many CCs were in that syringe?"

"Doc? Jen, what're _you_ doin' up there with ol' Rodney?"

Without answering, but irked that John had called the good doctor by an abbreviation of her first name, Rodney angrily hit the disconnect key and cut John off. "I think now he's faking it just to get in the way. He doesn't have a life."

"He enjoys being an asshole," Jennifer said, smiling when his chest vibrated with laughter. "It's the only thing he's any good at."

Rodney put his hands back on her waist and pulled back so he could see her face. "Where were we before Captain Kirk butted in?"

This time Jennifer leaned towards him. "Right about here." She wrapped her arms around his neck and tentatively pressed her lips against his. The excitement in her belly shot out in all directions and Jennifer pulled Rodney closer to her, kissing him hungrily.

Rodney ran his hands up and down Jennifer's spine, letting himself get lost in the sensations. He couldn't believe he was kissing Jennifer Keller.

Needless to say, Jumper Three didn't return to Atlantis until well after 1230 hours.

----

**1308 ZULU **

Grinning widely, Jennifer pulled Rodney down the deserted corridor. Suddenly she swung around and, breathing heavily, managed to say, "I can't seem to get enough of you."

Rodney McKay still didn't know exactly how to handle the fact that he and Jennifer had been kissing on and off for about two and a half hours. He stopped walking and gripped the physician by the waist. "Jen...god, Jen. I just want to make sure you know who you're talking to. I'm not the kind of guy women like you are usually attracted to." He looked into her eyes. "Jen?"

Jennifer reached up with both hands and pulled his head down. She kissed him hard and didn't release him for about fifteen seconds. When she pulled back she dragged her teeth over his bottom lip. "You don't make me feel like an object, Rodney. You make me feel things I've never felt before."

Rodney fought to regain control of his body. "Wait – what?"

She clarified, though her first admission had been clear to begin with. "I've never felt this way before."

"What do you mean?"

Jennifer kissed him again, then wrapped her arms around his stomach and let her cheek rest against his chest. "Complete."

Poor Rodney stood still, for he had never, ever, had this effect on a beautiful woman before. "Wow," he said finally, smiling.

"Generally 'wow' is a good reaction to get. You know, over the next couple days I hope you can make yourself believe this is real."

Rodney tightened his embrace and kissed the top of her head. "I hope so too."

----

_A/N: Sorry! I'm sorry this didn't get up last week. You can blame my sis for lending me season 1 of Alias and totally distracting me with Michael Vaughn. :D_


	8. Chapter 8

**Physician and Physicist by AndromedaMarine**

To: Carson (scottishdoc)  
From: Jennifer (blondesprefergentlemen)  
Subject: I Love You!!  
Timestamp: 6 April 2010 2250 ZULU

Carson, I officially love you. Seriously. Don't tell anyone, because I have the sneaking suspicion that Rodney would be jealous! Today was incredible. And you know something? I think...I think I might be in love.

Love Jennifer

----

To: Jennifer (blondesprefergentlemen)  
From: Carson (scottishdoc)  
Subject: RE: I Love You!!  
Timestamp: 6 April 2010 2300 ZULU

Jennifer, love, I'm glad for you. But let me give you a smidgen of advice.

Rodney... Rodney has always had self-esteem issues, and as far as I know, he's never had a woman be as interested in him as you are.

Tread carefully, Jen. Let him adjust to the attention – since this kind of attention is much different than what he's used to. Use the time off I've given you to your advantage. Make sure he really understands that you're serious about your relationship.

I'm betting you're going to ask me about Katie, too. Let me tell you straight, right now: Katie was a placeholder. It sounds awful, I know, but love – love, I believe that Rodney's spent his life waiting for someone like you. Correction – he's spent his life waiting for _you_.

Don't scare him off.

I love you as well.

Carson

----

To: Rodney (smartguysfinishlast)  
From: Carson (scottishdoc)  
Subject: A Wee Bit of Advice  
Timestamp: 6 April 2010 2311 ZULU

Rodney,

I'd hoped I wouldn't have to tell you to be careful about your obliviousness when it comes to women. But I've been wrong before.

Jennifer Keller truly likes you, my friend. So trust me when I say she's a rare jewel.

Please don't break her heart.

Carson

----

To: Jennifer (blondesprefergentlemen)  
From: Rodney (smartguysfinishlast)  
Subject: My Babel Fish is Working  
Timestamp: 7 April 2010 0009 ZULU

Dear Jennifer,

Hi. I...I couldn't sleep. I had such a great time today – well, yesterday, since it's technically tomorrow already. I don't expect you to still be awake, but when you get this email in the morning – well at a decent hour in the morning – I wanted you to know that tomorrow – well, today – I'd like to spend the whole day talking.

We've known each other for five years, give or take, but for those five years we've been just friends/coworkers. Family history doesn't generally come up in that kind of conversation.

This sounds weird even as I write it, but I want to know all about you. And...and I want you to know the same about me.

So I'll go try to find a creative way to fall asleep, and I'll see you tomorrow. Well, today.

How does 0840 sound for breakfast?

Yours,

Rodney

----

To: Laura (bomb-chick)  
From: Carson (scottishdoc)  
Subject: Come to Bed  
Timestamp: 7 April 2010 0023 ZULU

Laura, love, please come to bed. There are other ways to work off stress than running the perimeter of the City five times, and I checked the master roster. You're not on night shift until next month. Besides, I have some rumors to start spreading.

Love you,

Carson

----

To: Rodney (smartguysfinishlast)  
From: Jennifer (blondesprefergentlemen)  
Subject: You Didn't Need a Babel Fish to Begin With  
Timestamp: 7 April 2010 0046 ZULU

Dear Rodney,

Well, what do you know? I couldn't sleep either. I kept thinking about today – yesterday – and I realized that it's the happiest I've been in...in, well, a very long time. I would love to spend tomorrow (today) just talking.

0840 sounds lovely.

Love,

Jennifer

P.S. Rodney, you never needed that Babel Fish.

----

To: Carson (scottishdoc)  
From: Laura (bomb-chick)  
Subject: I'll Come to Bed in a Few  
Timestamp: 7 April 2010 0104 ZULU

Carson, darling, and I mean that sarcastically, of course, I'll come to bed in a few minutes. While I'm sure you've got quite a few ideas of how to work off stress in a different way, I've already run the perimeter once and I'm exhausted. So don't shuck those boxers of yours until I'm sure I'll stay awake long enough to enjoy it.

I love you, baby.

Laura

----

To: Ronon (shootfirstasklater)  
From: John (myhairdefiesgravity)  
Subject: What's With McKay and Keller?  
Timestamp: 7 April 2010 0317 ZULU

Hey buddy, do you have any insight as to why McKay and Keller are avoiding me? I know it has something to do with when I twisted my knee and elbow... Any ideas?

----

To: John (myhairdefiesgravity)  
From: Ronon (shootfirstasklater)  
Subject: RE: What's With McKay and Keller?  
Timestamp: 7 April 2010 0734 ZULU

Leave it alone, Sheppard. And stop pretending like your painkillers haven't worn off. I think Dr. Keller's ready to kill you for that.

----

To: Senior Base Personnel  
From: Richard Woolsey  
Subject: Information Request  
Timestamp: 7 April 2010 0815 ZULU

Good morning. Can anyone tell me who decided my office would look better without me in it? That is, pardon my French, who the hell locked me out of my office??

----

_A/N: I know, I know, shameless plug for Jewel Staite. And I'm getting some Carson/Laura goodness in here... :D R&R! Oh, and fair word of warning: chapter 9 will have a smidgen of angst thrown in. Our favorite couple needs problems other than John annoying the crap out of them. :) And I'm still being sufficiently distracted by the gorgeous Michael Vaughn. (squee!) _


	9. Chapter 9

**Physician and Physicist by AndromedaMarine**

_A/N: For clarity: "Shrine" took place, but Day 6 did not. "Brain Storm" did not happen at all._

**7 April 2010 0512 ZULU**

Jennifer woke from her nightmare in a cold sweat, breathing heavily, heart pounding. She'd fallen asleep only three hours earlier, expecting to fill the hours with dreams of Rodney McKay. Dreams, not nightmares. She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to rein in her erratic breaths, slowing her heartbeat to manageable levels. She threw the covers off and sat on the edge of her bed, her forehead in her hands. The doctor had to physically stop herself from crying. There was only one answer for her problem.

Without bothering to change from her flannel Batman pajama pants and tank top, Jennifer palmed the door open and blinked a few times to make sure the night guards weren't in sight. Noting that the coast was clear she strode uneasily down the hall eight doors, to stand in front of Rodney's. For a moment she hesitated, wondering if she should be coming to him.

Jennifer waved her hand over the sensor three times, and waited.

Rodney opened the door rubbing his eyes.

Without waiting for the physicist to invite her in, Jennifer brushed past him and sat herself firmly on the sheets of his bed. She pulled her legs up under her. "I'm sorry for bothering you, Rodney," she said quietly, pressing a hand to her chest and wrapping the other around her waist.

The physicist remembered Carson's email and wisely sat beside the physician. He put an arm around her shoulders and pulled her to his side. "What happened?"

"Nightmare," she whispered. "Remember that parasite you had last year?"

Rodney nodded. "Yeah. You saved my life."

"Not in the nightmare."

It was all that the scientist needed to hear before he wrapped both arms around Jennifer, pulled her back against his chest, and squeezed gently. "You want to tell me?" He rested his chin on her shoulder and took in a deep breath. He could still smell the honeysuckle.

Jennifer took in a deep breath and let it out again, shuddering as some tears escaped. Rodney rubbed his hands in smooth circles on her stomach and pressed his nose against the soft skin of her neck to comfort her. "We...we took you to the shrine and... I couldn't save you. It scared me, Rodney. It didn't feel like I could survive without you." All thoughts of embarrassing herself evaporated when she felt Rodney shift behind her. The next thing she knew, she and the physicist were lying lengthwise on his prescription mattress, his arms around her and his fingers laced through hers. If this didn't scare him off – comforting an upset woman – she had no idea what could. With his calming presence behind her and his familiar smell, she fell back asleep.

Rodney, amazingly, hadn't felt nervous at all. He rested his chin on her shoulder again, and before he could stop himself he kissed her neck and fell soundly into the black.

----

**0756 ZULU**

Rodney felt completely relaxed and refreshed, and as he still wasn't fully awake, he had no idea why. Sensations began to filter through his foggy brain and he opened his eyes. In the two and a half hours since Jennifer fell asleep with him, she had turned to face him and draped an arm over his waist. The physicist smiled at her, even though her long, steady breathing indicated she was still asleep. "You are beautiful," he breathed happily, and kissed her forehead.

He saw the time and decided, since they were together anyway, that they could sleep longer and it wouldn't hurt their breakfast date. Rodney closed his eyes and simply let himself feel.

----

**0903 ZULU**

Jennifer yawned and blinked the sleep from her eyes. The first thing she saw was the alarm clock reading the time as 09:03. She sat straight up without realizing Rodney was next to her, and so Rodney woke up too. It took Jennifer several moments to realize she wasn't in her own room, and that there was a warm, familiar body next to her that had its arm across her stomach and one of its legs over one of hers. The familiar part sunk in and she laid back down, her breathing under control. She turned her head and looked straight into a pair of gorgeous aqua eyes.

"Good morning," Rodney commented.

Jennifer lifted her hands to cover her face in embarrassment, but Rodney intercepted and brought one hand to his lips. He kissed her palm. "I've been here for about five hours," she said, her eyes closed. "Right?"

Rodney responded by lacing their fingers. "Yeah. So?"

"So we went on one date and all of the sudden I'm coming to you in the middle of the night because I had a bad dream – "

The physicist stopped her from continuing by cupping her cheek and giving her a smooth kiss. When he pulled back he rested his forehead on hers. "As far as I'm concerned, Jen, you don't ever have to apologize for coming to me at any hour – day or night, these quarters or wherever."

Physician had advice to not scare him off, and physicist had advice to not break her heart. So far neither had strayed.

"We missed our breakfast date," Jennifer said softly, losing herself in his eyes.

"It can be rescheduled."

"I have to take a shower."

"You smell wonderful to me."

Jennifer smiled and kissed his cheek. "I'll smell even better after I take a shower."

Rodney sighed unhappily. "Does that mean you have to get up?"

"Yeah... And this late in the morning, it's likely someone will witness me leaving your quarters."

To Jennifer's surprise, Rodney didn't panic. "I hope someone does, that way it will filter back to those vulgar Jarheads we still need to talk to Sheppard about. Maybe if they know you're with someone, namely me, they'll learn to back off." Noticing that her expression indicated she was about to object, Rodney said, "I know, Carson's probably told Laura, who's told the entire base by now, but if it comes from a different source it will be that much more reliable. Think about it."

Jennifer closed her eyes and rested her head against Rodney. "It makes sense."

"Then what are you worried about?"

The physician laughed. "You'll think this is ridiculous, but I don't want the guards to see my pants."

"What?" Jennifer laughed again and kicked the covers off. Rodney took one look at her legs and cracked a grin. "Batman! Of course...they'll think you're wearing my PJ pants..."

"See what I mean?"

A glint shimmered in his eyes. "We could use this to our advantage. Make them think we've been together longer than rumored."

The smile disappeared from Jennifer's features.

Now, Rodney panicked. "Oh, god, I said something wrong, didn't I!"

Jennifer nipped it in the bud by planting a kiss on him that he couldn't ignore. "I just thought, Laura's the rumormonger on Atlantis, not us. It kind of crossed my mind that she'd know it's not true."

Relieved, Rodney threaded a hand through her golden hair. "It will be eventually," he said riskily, then claimed her lips.

_Oh my god,_ Jennifer thought as they kissed. _He wants this to still be happening in the future! Is this really the Rodney I met five years ago?? _The American pushed the thought from her mind as Rodney skillfully convinced her that there was no chance those Jarheads would ever insult her again.

----

**0937 ZULU**

Rodney waved a hand over the door sensor and the bulkhead slid open. Before even looking outside he seized Jennifer's waist and drew her into a fantastic kiss. When Rodney's hand made it to the back of the doctor's neck (it didn't look like they would surface for air in the next sixteen hours) the unexpected guest who had been about to "ring the doorbell" cleared his throat. Loudly.

Physician and physicist froze in mid-kiss, and looked out the door together, right at Colonel Jonathan Sheppard.

"Well, I guess now I know why you've been avoiding me."

Rodney kept one arm tightly wound around Jennifer's waist and sternly faced John.

"Ronon told me to leave it alone...but you know me. Can't resist an opportunity to tease." He gave them his charmer grin. When they didn't react he switched gears. "Okay, I meant to apologize to Rodney first, but since you're _both_ here... I'll kill two birds with one really big stone. Rodney, I'm sorry about the lemon chicken incident...I honestly had no idea..."

The physicist cut him off with a hand gesture. "Sheppard, I've gotten all six of your apology emails. Consider yourself forgiven for that particular happenstance."

John nodded curtly. "Right. Okay then, Jen, I – "

Physician cut him off. "If you don't mind, Colonel, I would prefer it if you called me by my full first name."

"Ah. Right. Jennifer. I guess I should come clean and say that those painkillers wore off about two days ago. I've been purposely interfering..."

Rodney felt like kicking the crutch out from under the Air Force Officer. "Listen, _John_, if you want to make up for your meddling, I'd suggest you start by speaking with the new Marines about their conduct. I'm not sure they were paying attention when the IOA read them the policy on sexual harassment."

John stared at them. "What?"

"Two of the three Marines I stitched for bantos injuries two days ago made vulgar remarks after I finished eating dinner." Jennifer curled herself slightly against Rodney's side so she could be in contact with as much of him as possible. "And Rodney mentioned that some of his lab techs have been complaining about being felt up by the new Jarheads."

The colonel's expression went rigid. "Thanks for telling me, Rodney, Jennifer. I'll take care of it." He hobbled away, angrily jabbing at his earwig. "Evan! Get the most recent Marines from Daedalus into my office _now_!"

Jennifer wrapped her arms around Rodney's waist and let her cheek rest against his chest. "What do you say we call in a breakfast order to the commissary and just eat here? It seems a good a place as any to just sit and talk." They reentered Rodney's quarters and she sat on the edge of the bed. "Did you get my email last night?"

Physicist looked up from the computer. "No...I fell asleep right after I sent mine to you. Why?"

She smiled. "Go ahead and read it now." Jennifer pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them.

Rodney looked up at her a moment later, radiating something she couldn't identify. Joy? Ecstatic happiness? It seemed like both, maybe more. "Yesterday was the happiest you've been in a long time?"

Jennifer nodded. "Well, including today." She paused, letting the non-awkward silence fill the room. "And, I think, it will include every day following. You make me happy, Rodney. Safe...complete. I don't know if I can really describe it. It feels like I'm home."

----

_A/N: Okay, so I totally managed to keep the angst at like 25% of this chapter, which is 3.6% of the entire story. And this is growing into a full-fledged relationship development piece, so it might morph into a long-running project. :) Okay, I can't keep blaming Michael Vaughn for distracting me...but I can blame how addictive watching Alias is! R&R!_


	10. Chapter 10

**Physician and Physicist by AndromedaMarine**

To: Senior Base Personnel  
From: Richard Woolsey (basecommander)  
Subject: I Really Need to Get into My Office  
Timestamp: 7 April 2010 0945 ZULU

Anyone? There are things in my office that I cannot go without! Seriously, doesn't anyone check their email?

To: Teyla (motheroftorren)  
From: Ronon (shootfirstasklater)  
Subject: Woolsey's Cry for Help  
Timestamp: 7 April 2010 1159 ZULU

Did you see those emails Woolsey sent out? Something about not getting into his office.

Weird since I saw some guy with bandages on his hands fiddling around the door this morning.

To: Richard Woolsey (basecommander)  
CC: Reply All  
From: Carson (scottishdoc)  
Subject: RE: I Really Need to Get into My Office  
Timestamp: 7 April 2010 1201 ZULU

Did you try contacting Dr. McKay directly? If he isn't available I suggest you try Dr. Zelenka or Dr. Fox.

To: Carson (scottishdoc)  
CC: Reply All  
From: Richard Woolsey (basecommander)  
Subject: (no subject)  
Timestamp: 7 April 2010 1233 ZULU

I tried to raise Dr. McKay on his headset but had no luck. Dr. Zelenka is also not responding and I believe Dr. Fox is on stand down after his incident with the Janus Database. Any other suggestions?

To: Richard Woolsey (basecommander)  
From: Radek Zelenka (czechmate)  
Subject: RE: Reply All: I Really Need to Get into My Office  
Timestamp: 7 April 2010 1256 ZULU

Mr. Woolsey,

I will be at your office in ten minutes. I am sorry no one has already agreed to help you.

Dr. Zelenka

To: Dusty (stardust)  
From: Chuck (campbellsoup)  
Subject: Newsflash  
Timestamp: 7 April 2010 1346 ZULU

Hey, I heard through the grapevine that Dr. Keller is dating McKay. What did Laura tell you last night?

To: Chuck (campbellsoup)  
From: Dusty (stardust)  
Subject: RE: Newsflash  
Timestamp: 7 April 2010 1414 ZULU

Laura told me that her boy-toy gave Jenny three days off – to spend primarily with our favorite grouch. How's that for confirmation?

To: Ronon (shootfirstasklater)  
From: Teyla (motheroftorren)  
Subject: RE: Woolsey's Cry for Help  
Timestamp: 7 April 2010 1415 ZULU

Ronon,

You should inform Mr. Woolsey of what you witnessed this morning. I believe he would be most appreciative.

Teyla

To: Dusty (stardust)  
From: Chuck (campbellsoup)  
Subject: RE: Re: Newsflash  
Timestamp: 7 April 2010 1522 ZULU

Let's see... I guess that means Amelia won the pool. No – wait, didn't Ronon bet on the same time Amelia did? So then it's split... Damn, and I wanted to get that supply of Dark Chocolate Lindor truffles.

To: Teyla (motheroftorren)  
From: Ronon (shootfirstasklater)  
Subject: RE: Re: Woolsey's Cry for Help  
Timestamp: 7 April 2010 1558 ZULU

Why should I help out Woolsey? He still doesn't like me, even though it's been like three years since he took over.

**1603 ZULU**

**PegasusNet IM Service**

**CB: **Radek, what was wrong with Richard's door?

**RZ: **It sounds stupid, but somebody put Gorilla Glue along the doorframe so it stuck in place. A childish prank, and one for which I would like to know is responsible.

**CB: **You're right, that does sound stupid... This might be nothing but I overheard Ronon muttering something about Richard not liking him... you don't think...?

**RZ: **Ronon? Using Gorilla Glue to seal Woolsey's door? Forgive me, but that does not sound at all like Ronon's "shoot first ask later" style.

**CB: **All right, perhaps someone with a grudge?

**RZ:** Why are we discussing this? Should this not be a matter between Mr. Woolsey and the security details?

**CB:** Well, for one, the infirmary is dreadfully slow right now.

**RZ:** And two?

**CB:** Two, I would be bothering Jen and Rodney but they're still on their three-day-date.

**RZ:** I wonder if it will last.

**CB:** What? The date or the relationship?

**RZ: **Both. Although I am hoping it will last, since Rodney is much more pleasant after spending time with Dr. Keller. She seems to calm him down. He has not yelled at any lab techs for over three weeks!

**CB: **What about after the Janus Database went off-line?

**RZ: **To save Rodney's sanity I berated Avery Fox myself.

**CB: **So it _was_ Dr. Fox who had those burns...

**RZ: **Yes. Unfortunate for him, since he will be on graveyard shift for laundry detail for the following fourteen days. I suggested to Mr. Woolsey that his sister be brought to Atlantis to help keep him in line, so to say. Apparently she is the only one who can fully control him.

**CB: **Dr. Fox has a sister? And if she is the only one who can control him, how on Earth did he get into the Stargate Program?

**RZ: **Captain Kylie Fox – Air Force, I believe. Their parents own a company that brokers defense contracts with the SGC.

**CB: **Radek, forgive my asking, but how do you know all this?

**RZ: **...I have my sources.

**CB: **(laughs) All right, all right. You keep your secrets... I'll keep mine.

**RZ: **It is impossible for you to keep secrets, Carson, since you live with Laura Cadman.

**CB: **Touché, Radek.

To: Ronon (shootfirstasklater)  
From: Teyla (motheroftorren)  
Subject: RE: Re: re: Woolsey's Cry for Help  
Timestamp: 7 April 2010 1613 ZULU

Ronon,

Perhaps if you tell him he will be less inclined to disagree with some of your methods, namely the one pertaining to your email address. It is just a suggestion.

Teyla

To: Laura (bomb-chick)  
From: Dusty (stardust)  
Subject: Rumors...  
Timestamp: 7 April 2010 1839 ZULU

You know, if you "confirm" Keller's and McKay's relationship in another week, we won't have to pay out to Ronon and Amelia. If you let me win I'll cut you in for some truffles.

To: Dusty (stardust)  
From: Laura (bomb-chick)  
Subject: RE: Rumors...  
Timestamp: 7 April 2010 1851 ZULU

Dusty, darling, by next week they would have confirmed it themselves. How long do you really expect them to keep their hands off each other, especially since I heard from John just a few minutes ago that he walked in on them sucking each other's faces off at 0940 this morning? He saw them both in McKay's quarters, and she was wearing his Batman PJ pants, plus she had bed head. Trust me, Dusty, they so totally slept together last night. Those are all the details we need for confirmation...and when it's something as _juicy_ as _that_, I don't expect John to lie.

_A/N: Thanks for waiting... This time I blame college for getting in the way. I thought that Radek's penname, czechmate, was pretty clever... (wink). R&R! _


	11. Chapter 11

**Physician and Physicist by AndromedaMarine**

**0943 ZULU**

John hobbled angrily down the hall, still talking heatedly to Evan over the earwig. "Listen, Major, I don't give a flying rat's ass if they're bigger than you. Take Ronon and First Lieutenant Masterson with you, but get them in my office before I get there!" He paused, his face still emanating a peculiar combination of rage and extreme annoyance. "Seven minutes, Evan." He paused again. "Yes, seven minutes. Now it's six and forty eight seconds. Now, Evan!"

The colonel stepped wrong and he tripped, falling headlong into Teyla's shins. He groaned and rolled on his side, cursing the daughter of that village's leader. Teyla knelt beside him. "John, are you unharmed?"

"Relatively," he wheezed. "I need to be in my office in five minutes. Help me up?"

Teyla obliged, hooking him under the arms and pulling upwards. Once he was on his own two feet, the Athosian said, "Do not hurt yourself further, John. We can only be on stand down for a specific number of days." She smiled and walked away.

John grumbled and continued to hurry to his office. Four and a half minutes until he would chew out those Marines. He rounded three corners and slowed his limping pace to something more manageable. John entered his office as smoothly as his gimp knee would let him, his "I'm not joking about how pissed I am" game face on, and his eyes dark with anger. Evan stood behind John's desk, his arms crossed as he leaned up against the wall, Ronon was in John's chair, glaring at the Marines, and Sergeant Masterson hovered next to the door, his big frame as menacing as Ronon's glare. Five Marines stood in front of the desk, all at attention.

As the full bird passed them, he noticed sweat on two of their necks. One had broad shoulders and the other kept trying not to wipe the sweat from beneath his nose. John stood next to where Ronon sat, and crossed his arms. "Which one of you holds the highest rank?" An innocuous question, to be sure, but one that John would use to his advantage.

Broad Shoulders saluted, still rigid. "Captain McGrass, sir."

John studied him. "Captain, would you please recite to me the SGC's policy number six-thirteen?"

Captain McGrass swallowed. "No, sir."

"No?" John's voice was low, threatening. "Should I refresh your memory, Captain?"

"Yes, sir."

Beside him, Ronon let a smirk seep into his eyes. John was good at tearing down the new recruits.

"Six-thirteen refers to that nasty thing bureaucrats like to call sexual harassment. Now, Captain, can you recite it?"

McGrass swallowed harder. He spoke in a rigid voice to mask his nervousness. He knew he was screwed. "No member of the SGC, civilian or military, is exempt from the following regulation: sexual harassment, in every definition known, is not tolerated under any circumstance. If any member of the SGC, civilian or military, is found to have committed sexual harassment, the highest ranking officer in charge of operations has authority to mete out whatever punishment he or she deems necessary."

Looking satisfied (a tactic to relax his enemy), John nodded. "Now, Captain McGrass, if you are so well versed in policy six-thirteen, would you care to tell me why the hell I have had two separate complaints concerning your inappropriate behavior with senior staff?"

Evan lurched forward from the wall to get a better view of the Marines' facial expressions. He focused in on Sweaty Nose.

"I don't know, sir."

Ronon stood up slowly, letting his hand conspicuously brush his blaster. All three men, Ronon, Evan, and John, were very protective of Jennifer. She was their little sister, and the Marines were about to find out just how much they loved her.

"You don't know. That seems to be the popular answer today, gentlemen. You don't know. Let me make this perfectly crystal clear. The women on this base are not objects. You are not to treat them as such. I pay particular attention to Doctor Jennifer Keller here, since she reported to me that two of you used language around her that is best kept to the brig."

Sweaty Nose finally let his gaze drop from the freckle on John's earlobe (which he had been looking at so not to actually meet the colonel's eyes) to the gray, drab floor. His shoulders sagged.

John turned to him. "What do you have to say for yourself?"

"It will not happen again," Corporal Lancer said quietly, and the rest of the Marines, including McGrass, nodded in emphatic agreement.

"Now that we have resolved the issue of what has happened in the past, you Jarheads, everyone but Captain McGrass is at ease and dismissed."

Ronon noted that the captain had a look of terror in his eyes. Physically, John stood about four inches below McGrass, but John knew from experience that size didn't always matter. He could be as intimidating as Ronon (okay, not _as_) even though he had a smaller frame.

"Captain, when you leave this office, you will do three things. First, you will instruct the men under your command that breaking policy six-thirteen again will result in consequences even a Wraith would fear. Second, you and Corporal Lancer will report to Mr. Dex and Major Lorne at 0430 tomorrow for high-intensity training. Do you understand?"

McGrass bowed his head once and looked back up at John.

"And thirdly, during Dr. Keller's next shift, you will go to her and publicly apologize for your vulgar and entirely inappropriate behavior." When the captain curtly acknowledged his understanding, John said, "Dismissed."

As McGrass left the office, Evan let out a low whistle. "You really got into him, huh?"

John sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Make sure Rodney's at that apology."

"Yes, sir!"

**1010 ZULU**

Jennifer snapped a piece off the bacon strip and ate it, her eyes never leaving some part of Rodney. The oblivious physicist tried to consume his breakfast as inconspicuously as possible as he looked over the other emails in his inbox. He harrumphed slightly when he saw the messages from Woolsey, and decided that their leader's office door wasn't quite as important as his blossoming relationship with Jennifer Keller.

"Rodney," the physician said, "you grew up in Vancouver, right?"

He blinked a few times. "Yeah, but that's in my medical file. You knew that already."

Jennifer crossed her legs and leaned back on her hands, sinking slightly into the soft mattress. "So? I'm trying to make conversation. Didn't you say that you wanted to spend today just talking?"

Rodney swiveled in the chair to face her. "Yes, I just – " he cut himself off when he saw the smile on Jennifer's lips. "I just still don't know if I should trust my eyesight. It will take me a while to fully accept that I can call you mine." His voice had dropped in octave and volume.

"Hmm. If I'm yours, then it's fair to say that you're my Rodney."

A scarlet wave passed over the physicist's cheeks and the corners of his lips turned upwards. He looked at the floor.

Jennifer changed the subject before the physicist could object. "When did you first learn about your citrus allergy?" She cocked her head to the side and studied him.

"Well...I was four and someone gave me a glass of lemonade. I was in the emergency room for ten hours. Do you have any allergies?"

He'd cut through the question more quickly than she expected. "Only to idiots and vulgar men."

Rodney smiled.

They stared at each other for a while, mirroring each other's grins as tinges of pink spread across their cheeks. Abruptly Jennifer broke eye contact and looked at her knees. "Have you ever cuddled before?"

The physicist did a double take. "Cuddle?"

Physician chuckled. "You know, just lie together in each other's arms. Cuddle."

Rodney scratched his head. "Uh, well, you're the first woman who's actually _wanted_ to..."

"Come here," she said softly, and wordlessly Rodney obeyed. She stretched out lengthwise on his bed and when he joined her she rested her head on his shoulder. Tentatively he put his arms around her. "See? Isn't this nice?"

"Yeah," he agreed, smiling down at her. "So, really, do you have any allergies? That I should know about?"

"Well, I'd recommend keeping me away from NyQuil, hairspray, and tofu."

"NyQuil, huh? And hairspray and tofu. What a combination." Rodney chuckled at a stray memory. "John once told me that I'm allergic to women."

Jennifer burst out in laughter. "What? Really? What did you do?"

Rodney thought back. "Well, he made a bet with me that if I could get Teyla to go out on a date with me I could have his Johnny Cash poster."

"And?" she prompted.

"And it turned out that both Teyla _and_ Ronon had overheard so the whole thing was a bust. They all started laughing and fell on the gym floor. It's not like I actually would've gone through with it. Everyone knew at that point that Teyla had a thing for Ronon – everyone except Teyla and Ronon."

Jennifer smiled into Rodney's chest. "I'll bet you handled it like a man. I'll bet you laughed along with them."

"You're right, I did." Rodney sighed and his fingers began to ghost over the skin of Jennifer's arm.

"I love spending time with you," Jennifer said with her eyes closed.

"I love it too."

**1306 ZULU**

Richard Woolsey paced back and forth across the balcony leading to his office, his arms crossed and a dour expression gracing his face. When he saw Radek enter the Gateroom below he stopped pacing, and then stood and tapped one foot in a staccato on the floor. Radek hurried up the stairs and over towards the base commander.

"What seems to be the problem?"

Exasperated, Richard said, "The problem is that I haven't been able to get into my office all day, Doctor. How am I supposed to run this city without access to my office?"

Radek incorrectly assumed it was a rhetorical question and remained silent. He pushed his glasses up his nose and looked at the doorframe.

"Doctor?"

"Yes?"

"Well?"

"Well what? Your door will not open. That much is quite obvious."

"I meant well what's your answer?"

Radek looked around at the IOA agent. "About running the city? You cannot do it without access to your office, I agree." He turned back to the doorframe and rolled his eyes to himself. After inspecting the frame for another few moments he faced Mr. Woolsey again. "Judging from the clear yet distinctive substance that has hardened on the frame of your office door, Richard, I believe someone has glued it shut."

Woolsey stared at him for a few seconds. "Someone glued my door shut? This isn't college, Doctor. Can you get it open?"

Radek nodded. "I will mix a solution to dissolve the glue. You will be in your office in another hour."

After groaning, Richard said, "Thank you, Doctor."

The Czech made his way toward the labs, wondering who would pull such a prank and seal the leader out of his office. He ran a few names across his mind, narrowing the list down to three. He'd ask that one assistant, who used to fawn over Kavanaugh, about it later. Dr. Fox was on that list.

**1412 ZULU**

Rodney and Jennifer walked arm in arm down the deserted corridors of the lower East Pier, meandering their way through the city. The silence wasn't awkward, a fact that Jennifer noticed and recognized as reassuring that their relationship was solid. She leaned her head against his shoulder.

Of the several thoughts that strolled across her mind, Jennifer found that the one she focused most on involved spending quite a bit more time with the physicist.

"I could get used to this," Rodney said quietly, almost to himself, as if hoping she'd hear him.

She reached up to kiss his cheek. "I already have."

_A/N: Okay sorry for the two week delay, this time I have no really good excuse other than my trig class. Long-time readers may notice I borrowed some of the allergy bit from an earlier piece entitled, predictably, "Allergies," which was a friendship story for Team Sheppard. At the time of its creation I don't think I'd actually even heard of Jennifer Keller, but it worked, so hey. Chapter 12 will put about a week between the end of their three day date and the next batch of emails. Expect the timeline to get spread out as this story develops – it's turning into a long one! R&R!_


	12. Chapter 12

**Physician and Physicist by AndromedaMarine**

To: John (myhairdefiesgravity)  
From: Rodney (smartguysfinishlast)  
Subject: Idiots. Nothing's Private.  
Attachment: Hacked Emails  
Timestamp: 13 April 2010 1123 ZULU

John, that "apology" didn't quite cut it for me. I saw McGrass checking out Dr. Carthy's ass on his way out after "apologizing" to Jennifer (and myself)! They apparently learn very slowly, and I'm telling you now since I just thought of it a few minutes ago to hack their emails (and you are not going to "do" anything about my hacking because I _can_ make your life hell) and you'll never believe what Broad Shoulders and Sweaty Nose (aka McGrass and Lancer) have been saying. Specifically about you, me, Ronon, and where Ronon should shove his blaster. I think Evan was mentioned a few times, but I thought it would be best if _you_ take care of this. I might just kill one of them if I see them again. I mean, just _look_ at their email addresses! Could they possibly be any more offensive?

In my experience in dealing with military men and women, these two are the worst out of several hundred that I have met or known in passing. These guys just shouldn't be in the service if they talk that way about their CO. I don't even know how they got onto this city, let alone to the ranks they hold now. Isn't there some sort of honor code or "not being offensive" rule that applies when promotion dates roll around? Hah. Captain and corporal. Both should be booted.

RM

Attachment: Hacked Emails

To: Lancer (iamalance)  
From: McGrass (ass-and-mcgrass)  
Subject: Sheppard and the German Shepherd...  
Timestamp: 9 April 2010 1906 ZULU

Dude, you were there for what Sheppard had me do. _Apologize_, publicly, to Keller and her German shepherd. Did you SEE the way that mutt was looking at me? Like he was about to rip my head off (as if he could take on a Marine) and toss it to Ronon. God, that _Satedan_ (he's not even from EARTH) can take that fancy gun of his and shove it up...you know what, I'll let you figure out which body part of Sheppard's or McKay's he can shove it.

Morgan

To: McGrass (ass-and-mcgrass)  
From: Lancer (iamalance)  
Subject: RE: Sheppard and the German Shepherd...  
Timestamp: 9 April 2010 2129 ZULU

Hey Morgan,

McKay _is_ like Keller's German shepherd. Always trying to be all protective when he just looks like an idiot. You know, I think I saw Keller try to push him away for a moment. Wouldn't that be a blow to his ego! Not like it'd surprise me. A hot chick like Keller must be off her rocker to be going for a flub like McKay.

And that _Major Lorne_. I think he enjoys being Sheppard's dog.

Keith

To: Rodney (smartguysfinishlast)  
From: John (myhairdefiesgravity)  
Subject: RE: Idiots. Nothing's Private.  
Timestamp: 13 April 2010 1347 ZULU

Okay, Rodney, needless to say those emails are making my blood boil. I promise I will take this up with Woolsey and have those two holding one-way tickets to Earth. I hope Jack has them court-martialed. Or at least give them demotions. No one that vulgar, offensive, and insubordinate deserves the ranks they hold. About them calling you a German shepherd...well they're not wrong about you being protective of Jennifer, but we all are. Evan, Ronon, myself, all the men who know her and respect her protect her.

Don't take what they said about her "pushing you away" seriously. Rodney, from a Kirk perspective (and I did not just confirm all you're suspicions) Jennifer's crazy about you. She loves you so don't go thinking you don't deserve her.

I'll deal with Lancer and McGrass.

To: Richard Woolsey (basecommander)  
From: John Sheppard (myhairdefiesgravity)  
Subject: Meeting Request  
Timestamp: 13 April 2010 1355 ZULU

Mr. Woolsey,

It has come to my attention some emails of the incriminating type. I'm requesting to meet with you in private to discuss the emails and the future of their authors.

Col. Sheppard

To: John Sheppard (myhairdefiesgravity)  
From: Richard Woolsey (basecommander)  
Subject: RE: Meeting Request  
Timestamp: 13 April 2010 1530 ZULU

Colonel Sheppard,

You may come to my office at 1700 hours to discuss these emails.

Richard Woolsey

To: Radek (czechmate)  
From: Jennifer (blondesprefergentlemen)  
Subject: Infirmary Visit  
Timestamp: 13 April 2010 1544 ZULU

Radek, I believe you are due for a checkup. Be in the infirmary at 0900 Thursday morning. No excuses. Your last one wasn't so convincing.

– Jennifer

To: Jennifer (blondesprefergentlemen)  
From: Rodney (smartguysfinishlast)  
Subject: Dinner  
Timestamp: 13 April 2010 1601 ZULU

Hey Honey,

Can we catch dinner at 1800? I kind of had a bad morning after hacking into some emails and I want to spend some time with you to...to banish the demons.

Love Rodney

To: Rodney (smartguysfinishlast)  
From: Jennifer (blondesprefergentlemen)  
Subject: Your Place or Mine?  
Timestamp: 13 April 2010 1620 ZULU

Your quarters or mine?

Love Jen

To: Jennifer (blondesprefergentlemen)  
From: Rodney (smartguysfinishlast)  
Subject: Your Place  
Timestamp: 13 April 2010 1632 ZULU

I'll get dinner and come to your quarters at 1800.

Love Rodney

To: Jennifer (blondesprefergentlemen)  
From: Radek (czechmate)  
Subject: RE: Infirmary Visit  
Timestamp: 13 April 2010 1637 ZULU

Jennifer,

As much as it is inconvenient for myself, I will do my best to not miss this appointment. I am sorry my last excuse did not convince you.

Radek

To: Jennifer (blondesprefergentlemen)  
From: Laura (bomb-chick)  
Subject: OMG  
Timestamp: 13 April 2010 1751 ZULU

OH MY GOD. Jenny, I have to talk to you NOW!

To: Laura (bomb-chick)  
From: Jennifer (blondesprefergentlemen)  
Subject: RE: OMG  
Timestamp: 13 April 2010 1758 ZULU

Honey, I'm sorry, I'm having dinner with Rodney. Can I meet you at 1930 in the lounge?

To: Jennifer (blondesprefergentlemen)  
From: Laura (bomb-chick)  
Subject: RE: Re: OMG  
Timestamp: 13 April 2010 1802 ZULU

Yeah sure just BE THERE!

_A/N: Yeah, so this one just pretty much wrote itself after I posted chapter 11 yesterday. No distractions! Hopefully 13 will go up this weekend. But no promises. :) R&R! _


	13. Chapter 13

**Physician and Physicist by AndromedaMarine**

**13 April 2010 1601 ZULU**

John's email didn't make Rodney feel much better. The physicist angrily slammed the lid of the laptop closed, and felt a sinking feeling when he heard the screen crack. _Damn. Not another one,_ he thought. _I'll fix it later. I can use a data pad to email Jen..._ He rubbed his hands a few times over his face before typing out the email to the doctor. He wanted so very much to march down to wherever those Marines were and make their lives hell...but that was John's job. And John Sheppard was very good at his job.

No matter how hard he threw himself into work, Rodney couldn't get the ugly words out of his head. The emails had traitorously committed themselves in his memory. Physicist ran over multiple scenarios inside his brilliant mind, each ending with a Wraith sucking the loathsome Marines dry. It wasn't nice, he knew, but he couldn't help it. He and his girl had been insulted and the Canadian wanted to kill something.

Radek entered the lab. When Rodney looked up he saw the Czech, with a shorter person standing directly behind him. Rodney couldn't see his face.

"I told him this was not a good time for you," Radek said, rolling his eyes. "I laid out all the details of why not, but he insisted. I will remain right here to ensure you do not murder Dr. Fox."

Upon hearing that name, McKay's eyes bugged. "Fox? Fox? I said I didn't want to lay eyes on him for two freaking months, Radek!"

"Yes, yes, and that is why I am standing in front of him. So that technically you will not be laying eyes on him."

Rodney huffed.

"Doctor McKay," a voice called out from around the Czech, "I wanted to apologize."

"For what, you twit? For cheating your way onto Atlantis? For being an ignoramus as well as an asshole?" The red could be seen slowly rising up Rodney's neck to his cheeks.

"No, for not following safety protocol in Janus's lab last week." His voice sounded small.

Radek elbowed him.

"A-and for gluing Mr. Woolsey's door shut."

Rodney rubbed both hands over his face, having learned a few tricks from Jennifer as to keep his temper manageable. "Radek, at the end of this week I want to see a transfer requisition in my email inbox."

"For whom?"

"Either for him, off this city, or for his sister, to be brought here to control him. Though I'd prefer the former."

When Avery started to protest Radek elbowed him again. He turned around and loudly whispered to Dr. Fox to leave, and when it took him too long Radek shoved him through the doorway and into the hall. The Czech faced Rodney again. "You will have it by tonight. I cannot stand that Englishman any longer." He left, swearing colorfully in his native language.

Physicist picked up a data pad and accessed his email, feeling the knot loosen slightly when he saw Jennifer's message.

After hitting send, he felt more relaxed, as if Jennifer were right beside him. He smiled to himself and opened the lid of the laptop whose screen he had earlier broken. Time to fix it.

**1706 ZULU**

John watched as Richard's jaw tightened, eyes narrowed, and shoulders stiffened, all as he clenched his fists until the knuckles went white. John felt the same way.

Finally Woolsey lifted his stare from John's computer to John's eyes, and the colonel thought he saw some fire in there. "The Daedalus is on schedule to arrive the day after tomorrow. You can be assured, Colonel, that these two will be on it."

John nodded. "I'd like to draft letters to Generals Carter, O'Neill, and Landry. Bring them up to speed, so to say."

Richard folded his hands. "You go right ahead and do that, John. Do whatever you and Rodney consider necessary to make the message to these unprofessional soldiers loud and clear."

Sheppard acknowledged this, collected his laptop, and exited Woolsey's office fluidly.

**1720 ZULU**

Laura emptied the clip into the paper target at the end of the firing range, flicked the safety on her 9 mil, and lifted the earphones from her head. She adjusted the earwig and tucked a strand of strawberry blonde hair behind her ear. After a crackle of static she heard her man's tinny voice in her head.

"Laura, love, will you come to our balcony?"

The explosives expert placed the gun back in the weapons locker and touched the radio. "Of course, handsome. ETA ten."

**1800 ZULU**

Jennifer looked up from the laptop when she heard her door swish open. She smelled the food before she saw Rodney, and before he could object she'd gotten to her feet and unloaded the tray from his hands and placed it on the table. She pecked his cheek. "This can't last longer than an hour and twenty. Laura wants to talk to me about something at 1930 hours."

Rodney's hands rested on her forearms. "All right, but I've got some demons to banish and it starts with me kissing you." He proceeded to do just that, cupping her cheeks gently as he captured her lips with his. His hands traveled to her waist, and he drew her against him. He could feel the tension leaving his body and his mind start to clear. _She's not pushing me away. Take that, Corporal Asshole!_ He pulled away from Jennifer reluctantly, but oxygen was an issue.

Physician drew in breaths heavily. "Rodney, what happened? What did those emails say?"

He shook his head. "Vulgar, nasty things that you shouldn't have to read. It's being taken care of."

"It wasn't the Marines, was it?" she asked quietly, crossing her arms.

"Yes, actually, it was. John's going to talk to Jack about having them court martialed." He made to kiss her again, but she held her hand up.

"Show me."

Rodney blinked. "What?"

"The emails. I want to read them."

"Dinner...?"

"Can wait. Hack your account through my laptop, whatever, but I'm going to see those messages."

Rodney hesitated, but after seeing the look in her eyes he silently conceded and sat in front of her computer. Within moments the emails were on the screen, and Jennifer leaned over the physicist's shoulder to read them.

Halfway through the first one Jennifer began to see red. By the time she finished the second one, her jaw had clenched in anger. She forcibly pulled Rodney to his feet. "Don't ever, ever let anyone tell you that I don't love you. Understand?"

More surprised than anything by the strength with which she'd tugged him from the chair, Rodney dipped his head once. Then it registered: _Don't ever, ever let anyone tell you that I don't love you._ Physicist did a double take and looked directly into her eyes. "They don't know anything anyway. Besides, it's not like they would be successful in making me not love you."

Indirectly, both ways, it had been said.

Fervently, the Canadian kissed the American again, and several minutes passed before dinner actually got eaten.

**1925 ZULU**

Jennifer left her quarters and jogged to the transporter, jabbing the pulsating dot that would be closest to the lounge. _I wonder if Laura's already there..._ She disappeared in a flash of white light.

The lounge was bathed in silence and darkness when Jennifer arrived. She waved her hand over the sensor and the room illuminated, revealing Laura Cadman curled up on a loveseat and looking like she'd just cried. The doctor hurried to her side and quickly sat down.

"Laura, honey, what's wrong?"

The bomb chick gave a watery laugh, and the smile remained on her face. "Nothing's wrong, Jen, absolutely nothing. In fact, everything's right. Absolutely right."

Confused, Jen asked, "Then why are you crying? Does this have something to do with Carson? What did he do?"

At this, Laura laughed again and nodded emphatically. "Everything to do with Carson. It's what he did do that's absolutely amazingly right."

Slowly she held out her left hand, and Jennifer saw the thin platinum band with a single diamond resting atop it.

"Oh my God!" gasped the doctor.

The full blown smile on Laura's face did little to completely convey her exquisite happiness. "He proposed!"

_A/N: I am terribly sorry for this late addition... I was feeling off last week and finally sat down today to write this. On another note, I have two more weeks in this quarter and then finals, so posting'll slow down there and pick up again at the start of summer. For those of you who are Sparky shippers, I'll be focusing again as the beta half of Spirit of Chrysophylax, and that story will be completed over summer. A belated thank you to _all_ my wonderful reviewers: I'm ecstatically happy that this piece is officially the holder of the most reviews for all my Stargate stories! R&R!_


	14. Chapter 14

**Physician and Physicist by AndromedaMarine**

To: Rodney (smartguysfinishlast)  
From: Carson (scottishdoc)  
Subject: A Wee Announcement  
Timestamp: 13 April 2010 1941 ZULU

Rodney,

I wanted to get this to you before the grapevine took hold – I proposed to Laura.

And before questions start being asked; before decisions need to be made, I've made my choice. I'd be honored if you would be my best man.

You're my best friend, too, Rodney.

Carson

To: Carson (scottishdoc)  
From: Rodney (smartguysfinishlast)  
Subject: RE: A Wee Announcement  
Timestamp: 13 April 2010 1942 ZULU

You can bet your Scottish arse I'll be your best man! Congrats!

By the way, by telling me this, you inadvertently started the grapevine. I'm telling John.

To: GROUP (Girl's Night)  
From: Laura (bomb-chick)  
Subject: Girl's Night!  
Timestamp: 14 April 2010 0800 ZULU

Hey Gals!

Tonight's Girl's Night: poker, food, drinks, and a double feature! Plus something you won't be expecting... Surprise, surprise.

Laura

To: John (myhairdefiesgravity)  
From: Rodney (smartguysfinishlast)  
Subject: Scot and the American?  
Timestamp: 14 April 2010 0814 ZULU

Hey John,

Guess what – Carson proposed to Laura. AND he made me his best man! This totally makes up for getting himself killed four years ago... Right, now that I've got the ball rolling on this, you get to spread the news. Start by telling Chewie _and_ Lorne, since Ronon doesn't exactly know how to gossip.

To: Rodney (smartguysfinishlast)  
From: John (myhairdefiesgravity)  
Subject: RE: Scot and the American?  
Timestamp: 14 April 2010 0820 ZULU

Rodney, did it ever occur to you that maybe they want to make the announcement themselves? Do your own dirty work. I'm still busy drafting those letters to the Generals concerning our ill-mannered Marines. And by the way, yes I am happy for them.

To: Rodney (smartguysfinishlast)  
From: Jennifer (blondesprefergentlemen)  
Subject: MOH  
Timestamp: 14 April 2010 0946 ZULU

Rodney,

I'm sorry I didn't come back to my quarters before you left. Laura's news was more surprising than I expected: marriage! Two of our best friends tying the knot... It's funny, I just thought of my computer's background picture – you know, the one of us four off-world – and it made me smile.

Before I forget, Laura's asked me to be her maid of honor!

Do you want to have lunch today?

Love Jennifer

To: Jennifer (blondesprefergentlemen)  
From: Rodney (smartguysfinishlast)  
Subject: Of Course  
Timestamp: 14 April 2010 1003 ZULU

Jen,

There's no need to apologize. Carson asked me to be best man.

I will see you at lunch. It's just as well, Team Sheppard has a mission tomorrow morning. "Standard recon." Maybe this time he won't get elbow and knee twisted while trying to bed some unlucky Kirk victim.

Love Rodney

To: John (myhairdefiesgraviy)  
From: Richard Woolsey (basecommander)  
Subject: Daedalus on Schedule  
Timestamp 14 April 2010 1239 ZULU

Colonel Sheppard,

I have contacted Colonel Caldwell aboard the Daedalus and informed him of his new passengers. Rest assured they will be taken care of. If you would finish your letters by tonight I would like to review them and add notes of my own.

Richard Woolsey

To: Dusty (stardust)  
From: Amelia (gatetechclub)  
Subject: Laura's Girls' Night  
Timestamp: 14 April 2010 1402 ZULU

Hey Dusty! D'you have any idea what Laura's big surprise is?

To: Amelia (gatetechclub)  
From: Dusty (stardust)  
Subject: RE: Laura's Girls' Night  
Timestamp 14 April 2010 1530 ZULU

Hon, don't you think, since it's Laura's surprise, that it's a little strange she hasn't blabbed it all over the city by now? Trust me, if I knew, you would too. I'm just as intrigued as you.

To: Rodney (smartguysfinishlast)  
From: Jennifer (blondesprefergentlemen)  
Subject: Tomorrow's Mission  
Timestamp: 14 April 2010 1646 ZULU

Hey There,

I know you have to get up early to go off-world, but I'd like it if we spent the night together.

Love Jen

To: Jennifer (blondesprefergentlemen)  
From: Rodney (smartguysfinishlast)  
Subject: RE: Tomorrow's Mission  
Timestamp: 14 April 2010 1700 ZULU

Dear Jen,

I would very much like that. With any luck this "standard recon" will be "standard recon."

See you later.

Love Rodney

_A/N: Huge apology for the dreadfully late posting of this chapter. I'm afraid I don't have any real excuse. Chapter 15 will cover the "standard recon." R&R!_


	15. Chapter 15

**Physician and Physicist by AndromedaMarine**

_A/N: Their night together will not be covered in this story. Clarification: they do not sleep together until later in the relationship._

**15 April 2010 0730 ZULU**

Jennifer's heart beat wildly as she approached the Gateroom behind Team Sheppard. It was the first mission for the SGA team since their medical stand down, and Jennifer worried more than usual because of her sprouting relationship with the Department Head of Science and Research. Despite Rodney's insistence that "standard recon" would indeed be standard recon, the young American found herself going through scenarios in which she would lose the only man she'd ever loved.

Chuck dialed the gate, but before Woolsey gave the go-ahead to open the wormhole, Jen called to Rodney. He turned and smiled, walking towards her while glancing back over his shoulder at his colleagues. He stopped a modest distance away. "Hey."

Jen frowned. "What're you doing over there? Everyone knows about us by now anyway." She stepped towards him, entering his space, and gripped one of his hands. She threaded their fingers together.

Rodney tensed.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, it's just..."

She cut him off with a squeeze of her fingers. "It'll be okay. And if it's not, you know I'm here and I'll do anything I can to keep you safe and with me. Carson and I are good at our jobs."

The astrophysicist let a smile tug the corners of his lips upwards. He nodded. "I trust you with everything," he said quietly.

"Yo, Rodney, let's move," John yelled at him. "Just kiss her and get it over with."

McKay scowled at Sheppard over his shoulder, but before he could do anything Jennifer gripped his TAC vest, tugged him down, and kissed him hard in full view of the entire Gateroom. Chuck blinked and Woolsey rolled his eyes with a sigh. A few moments later, she released him, her palms still flat on his chest. "Be safe," she whispered.

Rodney smiled and returned to the team. The wormhole opened with a _kawoosh_, Team Sheppard stepped through, each disappearing into the shimmering aqua pool, and the Gate disengaged.

Dr. Jennifer Keller released a worried sigh and headed back to the infirmary, the kiss on repeat replay through her mind.

**0745 ZULU**

John paused beside the MALP to check the camera. "UAV spotted a village four klicks east." He rested his hands on the P90 clipped to his TAC. "So, Rodney, get any action last night?"

Rodney began to feel his anger level rise. "Even if I did," he said hotly, "it's none of your damn business." Even he was amazed by his control over the desire to yell at John for being immature. Jennifer's disposition had already begun to rub off on him. "Now keep your ugly, inappropriate thoughts to yourself so we can go meet these villagers. And try not to get anything broken or sprained this time." He started walking east at a brisk pace.

John shrugged when Teyla gave him a scathing look. "What? I can't have a little fun with Rodney?"

"Not when it raises his blood pressure," Ronon said gruffly, eliciting startled stares from both the American and Athosian. Without responding to the surprised looks, Ronon set off in the opposite direction that Rodney had gone. John and Teyla trailed behind him, apparently not realizing their bearing pointed west.

In the woods a while away, Rodney was muttering to himself. "Kirk just can't keep his half-assed thoughts to himself, can he? Goddamn flyboy..." He was a klick into the walk before he suddenly realized that the other three weren't with him. He turned around and started walking back towards the Gate. "Damn military brats can't keep up..."

The one thing about the planet that surprised Rodney was that it looked too much like the woods of Vancouver. He shivered.

When he got back to the clearing with the MALP and Gate, he noticed that his teammates seemed confused, and just as he was about to ask why they all had dazed expressions, the sky opened up with Ronon-fist-sized hail. Cursing, they ran for the tree line. A few minutes later the hail stopped, and they noticed a thick mist flowing around their feet.

Rodney felt the numbness crawl from his toes to his knees, lost his balance, and fell heavily into the fog. The last thing he thought of before the black of unconsciousness came was how worried Jennifer would be.

**0836 ZULU**

Jennifer cursed as the klaxons sounded. _"Medical team to the Gateroom!"_ Chuck's voice called over the citywide PA. _"Dr. Keller to the Gateroom!"_ She gathered the equipment and set off down the corridor with the gurney and emergency medical team in tow. Her heart pounded against her ribcage. As they rolled into the Gateroom Jennifer realized how jinxed Team Sheppard was when it came to "standard reconnaissance."

The wormhole opened and Chuck immediately lowered the shield. Everyone watched with bated breath as John came through first, followed by Ronon with Rodney slung over his shoulders, and finally Teyla. Just as she stepped into Atlantis Chuck hit the shield button, the golden shimmer returned, and an enormous thud echoed throughout the control tower.

Jennifer rushed forward with the gurney, heart in throat. Ronon set the unconscious scientist on the rolling bed and watched with his teammates as the medical team hurried down the corridor. Carson appeared beside the three Atlanteans and quietly shepherded them to the infirmary for full physicals.

_A/N: I will post a separate "story" next week titled "Mission Report," which covers the team's experiences on the planet, designated M2T-097. Look for the alert! R&R._


	16. Chapter 16

**Physician and Physicist by AndromedaMarine**

**17 April 2010 0412 ZULU**

Rodney slowly returned to conscious thought two days after Team Sheppard pulled him through the 'Gate from M2T-097. He had no headache, no pains, but he began to think that was just the morphine. Blinking, the dull night-shift lights of the infirmary swam into view, as did the distinctive figure of Jennifer, fast asleep on the adjacent bed. A pang shot through him. Finding his voice, he called out in a low whisper, "Jen! Hey, Jennifer!"

She rose onto her elbows, realized Rodney had awoken, and sprung to the ground and his bedside. "Oh, Rodney, _finally_!"

"Finally what?"

She shook her head at him. "You've been unconscious for two days. I ought to forbid you from getting injured off world. But a lot of good it would do, considering Team Sheppard's track record."

Rodney frowned. "Injured? I don't feel injured. In fact I feel better than I did before the mission."

She drew in a breath. "And you're not on any strong painkillers..."

"No morphine?"

Jennifer sat on the edge of his bed. "Just a mild dose of Advil for the thorn that I pulled from your heel."

The physicist muttered. "Arrows in asses, thorns in heels... What is it with sharp, pointy objects sticking themselves in my skin?"

"Rodney...do you remember anything about what happened on M2T-097?"

He made a sour expression. "Just that we accidentally went in opposite directions of each other, and that when we met up again at the 'Gate it started hailing soccer balls. I remember running for the tree line and then mist... Then nothing, at least until now." He shifted on the bed. "The only person who should go back to that planet is Kavanaugh."

Smiling, Jennifer commented, "John expressed the same sentiment last night before turning in."

"Sheppard was here?"

She sighed. "Rodney, when are you going to accept the fact that your team loves you and that you've known John long enough to call him by his first name?"

"Habit," he muttered. Hastily changing the subject, he asked, "So, when can I get out of here?"

Her eyes narrowed. "Trying to escape from me, Rodney?"

"Oh, no, no, of course not! I just – you know how much I hate the infirmary –"

She interrupted him. "Let me check your heel and I'll walk you back to your quarters."

Instead of answer her, he watched as she pulled the blanket up over his feet and took the injured limb into her hands. She peeled back the gauze pad and inspected the wound. "All better?" he asked lightly.

"Actually...yes. New skin has already formed over where I pulled out the thorn. And it was a monstrous thorn, too. I kept it, in case you wanted to see it."

Rodney made a face. "So I can add it to my collection? No thanks." He flung the covers back and swung his legs over the side. When he stood up his knees felt weak, and then he felt the sharp stab of pain in his heel. He wobbled.

Jennifer instantly seized his hand and threw an arm around him so he wouldn't fall over. "Now does it hurt?"

"Yes, _now_ it feels like I was injured."

She helped him sit back down, and sat next to him so their sides touched. She rested her head on his shoulder.

"I remember the last thing that went through my mind before passing out was how worried you'd be," he said quietly. "I'm sorry that Team Sheppard has been...you know, injured and half-killed too many times to count."

"It's a hazard of being on the front line," she replied. "It can't be helped. You're on the SG-1 of the Pegasus galaxy. You, John, Ronon, and Teyla have the same reputation here that SG-1 has in the Milky Way." Jennifer met his eyes. "Do you want to go back to your quarters or spend the rest of the night here?"

Rodney yawned. "My quarters...if you'll stay with me."

**0748 ZULU**

Jennifer woke up warm, comfortable, and happy. She lay spooned in front of Rodney, listening to his even breaths and thinking about how much she wanted it to last forever. Sure, she had only been in a romantic relationship with him for less than twelve days, but that didn't matter since they'd known each other for more than four years. She turned to face Rodney, tucked her head under his chin, and smiled as she felt his arms tighten around her.

_This is how it was always supposed to be_, Jennifer thought sleepily, as the drug of Rodney's scent invaded her brain. _This is what Mom meant when she talked about her love for Dad._

Hours later, Carson and Radek respectively covered for the heads of their departments.

_A/N: Never mind he was unconscious for two days; this story was unconscious for over a month... I suppose here would be a good place to say that after this chapter, there are only four more left. I'm stopping at 20, dear readers. To borrow a phrase from sienna27, real life got in the way of fake life. R&R!_


	17. Chapter 17

**Physician and Physicist by AndromedaMarine**

_A/N: Please remember the A/N from chapter 9: "Shrine" took place but Day 6 did not; "Brainstorm," or at least the parts with Jennifer, did not happen at all._

To: Jeanne Miller (jeannemiller)  
From: Rodney (smartguysfinishlast)  
Subject: Next Earth Visit  
Timestamp: 20 July 2010 1233 ZULU

Jeanne,

I don't know if you remember Jennifer Keller (though I am pretty sure you do considering my Second Childhood), but our next earth visit is in a few weeks and we will be traveling together. Let me say now that it really does matter what you think, but being with Jennifer makes me happy and I have been in better health for the last four months than I ever have before. In early April Team Sheppard returned from a mission, after which my blood work showed an anomaly (to quote Jennifer). It turned out that my natural ATA gene had activated, and now mine is the second-strongest behind John. Jennifer thinks my gene is somehow gaining power as time passes, because sometimes I'm able to do things John can't.

Jennifer and I have been dating pretty much ever since. I've loved her since...since I don't know when – but I'm sure I loved her even before I was with Katie. Remember when I told you about the fiasco with Malcolm Tunney? Even though Jennifer didn't come with me to that, even though we weren't dating, I spent the rest of that trip searching for the ring I hoped would one day be on her finger. And before you start freaking out, no I haven't asked her yet, and yes I am nervous beyond belief.

I guess I've been rambling up to this point. The whole reason I started to write this email was to ask if Jennifer and I could spend a few days with you when we come. I promise we won't be a nuisance and I'll try to behave.

She means the universe to me, Jeanne.

Love Rodney

To: Rodney (smartguysfinishlast)  
From: Jeanne Miller (jeannemiller)  
Subject: RE: Next Earth Visit  
Timestamp: 21 July 2010 0906 ZULU

Dear Mer,

I remember Jennifer, and I can do even better: she and I have been emailing ever since your brush with death. You don't have to worry because all I have to say is: what are you waiting for? If you bought the ring a year ago and _still _haven't popped the question... And really, your gene is stronger than Dr. Beckett's? What kinds of things John can't do?

Yes, you and Jen may stay with us. And if you haven't asked her by then, I'll do it for you. :)

I understand, Mer. And, gathering from all she's told me, you mean the universe to her too.

Be good to her, Meredith.

Love Jeanne

P.S. I think it's time you changed your email address to something more appropriate.

To: Jeanne Miller (jeannemiller)  
From: Rodney (smartguysfinishlast)  
Subject: RE: Re: Next Earth Visit  
Timestamp: 22 July 2010 1534 ZULU

Jeanne,

Well, things like injuries healing faster; Ancient tech responds much quicker, things like that. A while ago I fixed the Janus Database in half the time it would have normally taken me.

Thanks for letting us stay with you.

Love Rodney

P.S. My email address is perfectly appropriate.

P.P.S. Carson and Laura tied the knot last month in the Gateroom. They're sorry you couldn't come (me too) but they decided pretty quickly after one of Laura's missions went pretty badly. She was supposed to disarm an old Genii land-to-air missile and just barely got away before it exploded. She had a concussion, a few broken ribs and some 2nd degree burns that didn't look too friendly when I visited her in the infirmary.

To: Rodney (smartguysfinishlast)  
From: Jeanne Miller (jeannemiller)  
Subject: You've Changed  
Timestamp: 24 July 2010 0543 ZULU

Dear Mer,

I can tell just from your P.P.S. how much being with Jennifer has changed you. Thanks for the update about the now-Mr. and Mrs. Beckett! I'm sorry I wasn't able to go. Give them my best, and we're all excited to see you and your soon-to-be-fiancée!

And don't freak out, Mer, I won't tell her you're planning to propose.

For being a crank all the time, you're a hopeless romantic. =)

Love Jeanne

To: John (myhairdefiesgravity)  
From: Rodney (smartguysfinishlast)  
Subject: IMPORTANT, DO NOT READ IN PUBLIC  
Timestamp: 27 July 2010 0945 ZULU

John,

You've been my friend since...well, since Antarctica. And that was too many years ago to count. I remember yelling at you when you sat in the Chair without permission and it activated, and I was shocked how one man could have such power over something as ancient and as impossible as that piece of technology. From that moment I respected you, though it took almost forever for me to show it.

What I'm trying to say here is that you are one of my closer friends, and while I was best man in Carson's wedding, I'd like you to be best man in mine.

You can start the rumor mill if you like, but start it tomorrow. I'm asking her tonight.

Rodney

To: Rodney (smartguysfinishlast)  
From: John (myhairdefiesgravity)  
Subject: RE: Important Thing  
Timestamp: 27 July 2010 1126 ZULU

Rodney,

Thanks man. I'd be honored.

It's about time.

John


	18. Chapter 18

**Physician and Physicist by AndromedaMarine**

_A/N: The events of "Sunday" and "Kindred" are still canon. Apologies if Laura seems OOC._

**27 July 2010 1005 ZULU**

When Radek entered the lab he immediately felt the effects of a scatterbrained Rodney McKay. Tablets and laptops littered all the desks as well as the floor, file folders stacked a foot and a half high sat crooked like the Tower of Pisa, and Rodney himself was at the crystal screen currently owning an intense game of chess against the base computer. Radek knew something must be on the scientist's mind for him to be this distracted from work. He cleared his throat, not surprised when Rodney didn't take notice, and began organizing the disarrayed data tablets, pausing between moments to see who was winning the match. Several minutes passed before Rodney had the computer in a clever checkmate involving a rook and a strategically placed bishop.

"Hah! Yes!" Rodney exclaimed, jumping up from his stool and pumping his fists. He noticed his second-in-command and after a moment his arms fell limply to his sides.

"And I thought that you and Colonel Sheppard playing with RC cars was bad enough," Radek commented with a slight grin as he finished straightening the Leaning Tower of Pisa files. "But Jennifer must have you in a good mood for some reason or another."

Rodney tinged pink at the cheeks, then quickly managed to seize a laptop and log onto the server. "As a matter of fact...yes."

The Czech smiled and went to a console; a minute later he said, "Rodney, I will be working in the Janus lab if you need me. Oh, and give Jennifer my congratulations."

Startled, Rodney knocked over the stack of files Radek had fixed, and stammered, "Congratulations for what?"

"Why Rodney, my friend, I can see right through you. I do not believe I am mistaken when I assume you are asking her tonight to marry you?"

"How did – what...who – "

"Relax, Rodney. I figured it out on my own. After all, we work together every day, and you haven't been this relaxed and predictable for, well, a long time." Before Rodney could reply, the Czech scientist had disappeared down the hall humming an old tune from his native country.

The physicist had all of three minutes to recover before the new-Mrs. Beckett came in. Although he couldn't see them, he knew she owned several new scars across her chest, arms, legs, and neck, but great medical skill and smart dressing made it near impossible to tell it had only been about a month since the accident, and she wasn't even fully healed. Except for the creeping pinkness extending up to her right ear and temple, evidence of any burns were invisible.

"Laura, don't make me page your husband," he said jokingly. "Aren't you supposed to be off duty?"

Laura Beckett shrugged. "Yeah, but remember my duty involves defusing explosives, and when was the last time there were explosives on base that I had to defuse? My stand down is mostly that I'm grounded from gate travel."

Rodney's mind unwillingly thought of the disastrous mandatory day off that had robbed them of the original Carson Beckett. He had seen Laura's pain when that happened and also the crushing force his clone's unexpected appearance had placed on her being. But either way she loved the Scot, and it made no difference that he was only a copy. "No, you're right," he said a little belatedly, shaking the unwelcome image of Carson's crying mother and father back in Scotland. "But if you're 'technically'" – he used finger quotes – "off duty, what brings you to the department of science and research?"

Laura fiddled with her thumbs and hesitated for a few moments while Rodney closed the laptop lid and folded his hands, trying to mask his affectionate impatience with his best friend's wife. She pulled up a stool and sat perpendicular to him. "I want to know if and when you're going to propose to Jennifer."

Certainly not expecting _that_, Rodney gave an exasperated sign and ran his hands through his hair. "First Radek, now you...all within twenty minutes of my emailing John..."

"So you are asking her?" Laura said excitedly, sitting up straight so quickly a recovering rib gave protest. She winced.

"Laura, don't hurt yourself. Since you obviously already know, all I ask is that you keep your golden silence until tomorrow."

Mrs. Beckett gasped. "Tonight!" she whispered conspiratorially.

"Good Lord, did John really tell you _and_ Radek?"

"Tell us what?"

"That...that I asked him to be...well, you know, best man..."

Laura grinned. "John hasn't told me anything. I had an interesting conversation with Jennifer this morning during my daily checkup, during which...well..."

Rodney groaned. "For God's sake, Cadman, don't string me along!"

"Okay, okay! She mentioned her computer's desktop background – you know, the picture of you, her, me and Carson? – well, she said something along the lines of: 'Half the people in that picture are married. I'm beginning to wonder if after all these years of knowing Rodney it'll take him a year and a half of dating before he proposes. I'm waiting for the day that picture becomes one of two couples instead of four individuals.' Now, naturally I had to come ask you straight out if it was in your good intentions to satisfy our dear CMO's mental musings."

"Laura Cadman-Beckett, if you so much as think about this in Jennifer's general direction, you and Carson had better be prepared to endure quarters at below-freezing temperatures and a reset of your waste system before the day is out." He gave her a half-assed version of his evil-eye.

"Don't worry, space cowboy. My lips are sealed. Until tomorrow, that is." She beamed at the man with whom she had once shared his head and brain.

Rodney gave a defeated chuckle. "You, my friend, are an incurable gossip."

Laura stood to leave and winked at him. "And tell me, tiger, are you really going to survive all day brooding over how you'll play it tonight?"

He had a response ready for her. "Why should I brood when you pretty much confirmed she'll say 'yes'?"

"No idea what you're talking about, McKay, since neither conversation actually took place, right?"

"You...Laura! She asked you not to talk to me! Didn't she!' Rodney pursed his lips and glared at the explosives expert.

Laura looked at him long and hard, sizing him up, thinking over her next words carefully. She shifted her weight to one foot and rested a hand on the side of the desk. "Rodney, when will you learn that no threat deters me (or John for that matter), and when it comes to family we all get involved whether we like it or not. But no, I will not tell Jennifer anything, because when Carson told you he was going to ask me, you willingly kept your silence. Besides that, all of Atlantis is waiting for the other shoe to drop. We all know you're crazy about her, and we all know you want to marry her. We buck up. We get in each other's lives, because we care. And since I've had the distinct pleasure of being inside your head, I'd think you should know me better than to automatically assume I would willingly ruin the surprise of a marriage proposal that only comes once in a lifetime." Rodney could see her eyes shimmer with the beginnings of tears.

"I know that you thought of when he died four years ago, Rodney, I saw it in your eyes. It crushed me. Destroyed me. And when he came back the pain was almost unbearable. Do you know what I did that whole week? I sat in my quarters, unable to breathe because of the crying. I thought of every moment I'd had with him before that damn explosion...I thought of how I would finally be able to kiss him, hug him again, except he wasn't...wasn't _my_ Carson. At first I saw a replacement, not a second chance. But we pushed through it. We survived. Because that's what we do, right? We survive. That's the least I can hope for you and Jennifer, and I hope to whatever God is out there that she never has to deal with that kind of pain. Her or you. We never know how much we love someone until they're gone, Rodney. It's true any way you look at it. I just hope that you give her everything she could possibly want and more...because you're both worth it." By this point the tears had made distinct tracks down her cheeks and Rodney had her in a hug.

For a few moments Rodney was unable to speak. "Your speech is being processed, Laura." He stepped back and smiled at her. "Trust me. I know what I'm doing."

She wiped her eyes. "You better. Or else your ass will be sore from some kicking."

"You're missing my point. I'm incapable of willfully hurting Jennifer. My intent is to make her the happiest woman on the planet, in the galaxy, in this universe, because that's how much I love her." Rodney's eyes focused on some point past Laura. "That's how much it means to me to make her happy."

Laura lightly punched his shoulder. "All right, McKay. The deep, sappy stuff is over. Consider the rumor mill started at the crack of four tomorrow."

"Four?" he yelped. "Five at the earliest."

The bomb chick winked at him. "No promises, tiger." With that, Laura Beckett left the lab, and thanks to Laura's monologue, Rodney could not, for the life of him, sit down to focus on whatever work Laura had interrupted.

**27 July 2010 1900 ZULU**

Rodney squeezed Jennifer's hand as he led them to one of the outer piers. He relished the feel of their entwined fingers, the warmth of her palm against his...if not for his wildly pounding heart and a barely suppressed smile, it would have been like any other date. But this...this was _the_ date. Laura Beckett's speech resounded in his head, reminding him that sheer luck had played an enormous part in the marriage of Carson and Laura, considering the groom had died four years previously. Dr. McKay wanted everything perfect: the proposal, the planning, the actual wedding, the honeymoon...but he was well aware that things rarely went according to plan.

The couple emerged onto one of the farthest piers from the control tower. Evening had just begun to descend, the twilight sky a deep, resounding cobalt. Stars and close planets winked into view, and the summer ocean air remained comfortably warm. Together, Rodney and Jennifer walked slowly along the expanse meant for docking ships like the _Daedalus_ and the _General Hammond_. Rodney's mind absorbed every little detail as they walked. He briefly remembered saying a horrible goodbye to the original Carson on this pier, so long ago, and thought it time to associate it with a better memory than that of losing a friend.

Jennifer leaned into Rodney as they walked, unaware of the intention with which Rodney had brought her here, thinking of how wonderful it would be if the man she loved proposed marriage. She wondered if he would ever be ready.

Physician looked up at the growing collection of stars, in awe of how many were really planets with Stargates. Suddenly Rodney released her hand, and a moment later, physicist had his arm around her waist and pulled her against his side. "I love you," he whispered before kissing her temple. Jennifer smiled in spite of herself, and halted their progression by turning and hugging him, her cheek against his chest.

"I love you too."

Rodney gave her a brief squeeze. "When...when Carson died four years ago, I came out here. This is where I said goodbye to him. For so long...I've associated this part of the city with sadness. I want to change that."

Jennifer's heart skipped a beat.

Physicist pulled away so he could see her. One hand went into his pocket, where his fingers closed around an all-important box. "My happiness is entirely credited to you. And for a long time now, I've known that I always want to wake up beside you, to hold your hand...to be home." He lowered himself to one knee, bringing the box up and open, revealing a golden band with a diamond solitaire resting atop it. "Jennifer Keller, will you marry me?"

Without hesitating, Jennifer breathed, "Yes!" She took Rodney's wrists and forced him to stand, then weaved her arms around his neck and kissed him fiercely. "A thousand times yes."

Dazed, Rodney tugged the ring from its bed and slipped it onto her ring finger. The low lights of the city just barely reached them out on the pier, giving Jennifer a soft glow. The twilight had deepened; the sky now two shades away from black. More stars lit up the horizon. The engaged couple turned to face the illuminated city, full of friends and family, memories both good and bad, and the unexplainable, wondrous feeling of being in love.


	19. Chapter 19

**Physician and Physicist by AndromedaMarine**

_A/N: This set of emails takes place during the week before the wedding, which is on Earth. Atlantis has been left in capable hands while senior personnel are on Earth._

To: Samantha O'Neill (carteroneill)  
From: Cameron Mitchell (SG-ME)  
Subject: McKay Wedding  
Timestamp: 18 May 2011 0346 ZULU

Yo Sam

I must've lost my invitation in my quarters somewhere—can you remind me when and where we're all meeting for Rodney and Jennifer's big day?

Cam

To: Cameron Mitchell (SG-ME)  
From: Samantha O'Neill (carteroneill)  
Subject: RE: McKay Wedding  
Timestamp: 18 May 2011 0731 ZULU

Hi Cam,

We're all gathering at the SGC next Tuesday at 0600, when the _General Hammond_ will beam us all to Wales (Atlantis personnel sans Mr. Woolsey are already in-country). That'll be rehearsal day, I suppose. We've all been put up at the venue, the Cardiff Castle. If you want more info than that you better message Rodney, since it is _his_ wedding. Reminder: he changed his email to this: mckaykeller pegasusnet .sgc. It's about time he got rid of that awful one he had before.

Having a great time in DC with Jack – I promise I'll be back in Colorado by the end of the week to help with all the prep for the new deployments to Icarus and Atlantis. We're almost done with arrangements to set up permanent camp within driving distance of Cheyenne Mountain. Yes, it has taken over a year, but a suitable replacement for Jack had to be found. See you soon! Give my best to Carolyn and tell Daniel to get his nose out of his books for a few moments once in a while. It'll do him good.

Love Sam

To: Jeanne (jeannemiller)  
From: Rodney (mckaykeller)  
Subject: A Week? A Week!  
Timestamp: 18 May 2011 0900 ZULU

Jeanne,

Reminder that the _General Hammond_ will beam you, Kaleb, and Maddie to Wales Friday afternoon. The plan is to beam you straight into the Cardiff Castle courtyard, as the SGC completely booked it (which is saying something, since the capacity is 10,000 people). Jennifer and I will meet you when you get here. The Castle is unbelievable!

I'm...giddy? Is this what you felt like when you married Kaleb? Sorry, sorry, mushy crap from brother here.

See you soon,

Love Rodney

To: Rodney (mckaykeller)  
From: Jeanne (jeannemiller)  
Subject: Yes, a Week.  
Timestamp: 18 May 2011 1058 ZULU

Mer,

All understood. I'm excited! Yes, I was giddy when I married Kaleb. Madison is getting anxious to meet her soon-to-be auntie!

Love Jeanne

To: Hank Landry (stargatecommand), Richard Woolsey (basecommander)  
From: Jack O'Neill (samandsimpsons)  
Subject: Wales? What the Hell is in Wales?  
Timestamp: 19 May 2010 2354 ZULU

Gentlemen,

In preparation for Rodney McKay's wedding to Jennifer Keller in...five? days, I hope everybody knows that the President is under advisement for three things in regard to that day: one, I will be absent from Homeworld Security; two, the SGC will lack senior personnel (will any SG-teams be offworld, Hank?); and three, Atlantis has been on minimal operation for...two weeks? What is up with this event? How come Sam and I didn't get this much pomp and circumstance? Where were our Welsh wedding bells?

Nah, men, I'm just joking. But the President really is under advisement that three vital world security establishments will be vacant of high-level officers on the McKay wedding day.

See you gents in Cardiff (Sam helped me spell that) next week.

General Jack O'Neill

To: Jack O'Neill (samandsimpsons)  
From: Hank Landry (stargatecommand)  
Subject: Wales  
Timestamp: 20 May 2011 0714 ZULU

Jack,

SG-4 and SG-21 are scheduled to be on P2X-455 for geological surveys and SG-9 is at the Alpha Site until the end of next month. I managed to convince Dr. Jackson to stay on Earth long enough for the wedding before beginning his liaison mission with SGs-2 and 6 with the Andaraans.

Hank

To: Daniel Jackson (archaeologist-gunslinger)  
From: Rodney (mckaykeller)  
Subject: (no subject)  
Timestamp: 22 May 2011 1423 ZULU

Dr. Jackson,

I look forward to seeing you this week in Wales. Jennifer and I weren't entirely sure if you could make it, but General Landry sent us an email detailing your liaison mission being delayed. It'll be nice to catch up, seeing as the last time we really saw each other was that disaster involving the Janus Lab and the rogue Asgard.

Sincerely,

Dr. McKay

To: Rodney (mckaykeller)  
From: Daniel Jackson (archaeologist-gunslinger)  
Subject: RE: (no subject)  
Timestamp: 22 May 2011 1909 ZULU

Rodney,

You're too stiff with formalities. I think after that little event in Pegasus you can call me Daniel, all right? I have been busy preparing for that liaison mission, but in all honesty I wouldn't miss your wedding unless it meant finally understanding everything about the history of this galaxy. You should feel special, since the aforementioned opportunity will never come around—at least, anytime soon, and Ascending twice really didn't help at all.

I could give you a great, detailed history of Wales if you like, but Jack already told me not to get too excited and bore everyone at the reception. Cardiff is a wonderful city, and I am genuinely looking forward to staying in the Cardiff Castle. I've wanted to for years and actually planned to with Sarah, before the Osiris fiasco happened.

Anyway, Rodney, I'll see you and Jennifer in a couple of days.

Daniel

To: Rodney (mckaykeller)  
From: Jennifer (blondesprefergentlemen)  
Subject: Rodney...  
Timestamp: 23 May 2011 2324 ZULU

Rodney, I know you're wandering the castle with your data pad... Come to bed, silly. We're getting married on Wednesday.

_A/N: I had planned to post this on the 22__nd__ (or shortly thereafter) however my area had a freak pre-winter snowstorm that resulted in a power outage which lasted about 68 hours. I realize I neglected to mention the marriage of Jack and Sam. My bad. My timeline places it before the Beckett-Cadman wedding but after Rodney's ATA gene activated. Also, the origin of Daniel's email address comes from season 4 episode "Window of Opportunity" when Jacks asks, "What kind of archaeologist carries a weapon?" and Daniel raises his hand, saying "Uh, I do." Chapter 20, the last one, is (hopefully?) coming soon, as in sometime during the first two weeks of December. I hope. R&R!_


	20. Chapter 20

**Physician and Physicist by AndromedaMarine**

**Epilogue: 20 Years Later**

**25 May 2021**

Jennifer McKay tenderly opened the old piece of paper that had, over the past twenty years, been unfolded and folded again exactly twenty times. Today would be the twenty-first. The square of paper usually rested in her mother's old music and jewelry box, the one that her father had given to her on her wedding day twenty years ago. The words on the paper always made her smile, and remember part of the circumstances that had resulted in the long life of love she and Rodney shared on Atlantis.

_My Dearest Jennifer, today is the beginning of the rest of our lives, the day that will live on in our memories as the day we said "I do." I cannot possibly contemplate or list the reasons I have for loving you, because the simplest fact is that I just do. I love you. Our life together may be long or short, it will come with ups and downs, fights and reconciliations, laughter and pain. But through it all I will stay with you, cherish you, and keep you in my heart. I know that our jobs make judging the future an impossible task, but despite that I know—_Iknow_—that we will persevere, we will triumph, and I want to give you everything you could possibly want...and more. I will always love you, Jennifer. Your Rodney._

Although she knew his message by heart, she never failed to smile or feel her love for him grow every time she read it. She flipped the paper over gently, to read the unfitting P.S. her husband had written as what seemed to be an afterthought.

_I will always remember the beginning of our courtship as the time when Avery Fox out-Kavanaughed himself and John Sheppard out-Kirked himself. _

Jennifer allowed herself a silent chuckle. She remembered vividly John's role in the McKay-Keller wedding.

Rodney and Jennifer McKay had been married for twenty years. They had three children, the first of whom had been born ten months after the wedding, in April of 2012. They had named him Christopher Carson, and today Jennifer and Rodney expected him to arrive through the Stargate that morning from the SGC, after being beamed from his dorm room at MIT. He was already doing doctoral work, and expected to graduate that summer and return to Atlantis with a fully-paying job.

Their daughter, Sara Elizabeth, had been at CalTech on scholarship for two years since she was fifteen, being checked on weekly (and sometimes daily) by Cassie Fraser. Both Cassie and Sara would be joining Chris at the SGC, to 'gate to Atlantis for the anniversary celebration.

The youngest, who they named Alexander John, was fifteen and had opted to remain on Atlantis doing hands-on training with his father, mother, and the rest of his extended family, before attending college on Earth and eventually being employed on the great Lantean city.

All three children were greatly skilled in the professions of both their mother and father.

Jennifer thought on her children with pride, love, and happiness, relieved and excited that her two older kids would be arriving home that morning. She leaned over her still-sleeping husband and kissed him awake, running her hands through his thinning hair. "Good morning, handsome," she whispered when his eyes blinked open.

"Good morning, beautiful. The kids are coming home today, aren't they?" His eyes sparkled with anticipation. Neither Chris nor Sara had been home since Christmas. He leaned up and kissed her again before stumbling out of bed and starting his morning routine. Jennifer settled back on the covers and watched him with a smile, amused that even after all these years he still managed to trip over the clothes hamper when it was against the wall.

Alex's room connected to theirs, and it was only after Rodney waved his hand over the sensor that it opened to reveal him waiting for them, bored. He got to his feet and gave his dad a swift hug. "It's about time," he complained good-naturedly. Jennifer mused that their youngest had certainly inherited Rodney's impatience. "The whole Atlantean ocean could dry up and the sun go supernovae before you two finish dressing." He kissed his mother's cheek. "Happy anniversary, Mom, Dad."

Jennifer and Rodney exchanged a glance. Living in Pegasus had been good to their family.

"All right," Jennifer said, planting a kiss on Alex's forehead. "Chris and Sara should be coming through the 'Gate in about an hour; how about breakfast with Carson, Laura, John, Teyla, Ronon, and Torren?" Jennifer's men nodded wordlessly and they all went to the commissary, where the aforementioned group of people already sat at a table nursing coffees. Alex sat beside Torren heavily and dug into his food.

"Congratulations," John said. "Twenty years. None of us thought you two could do it."

Rodney shot him a look that John knew all too well. "I knew you had such faith in us," the scientist remarked before gently kissing his wife's cheek. A sudden flashback made him chuckle. "Remember, John, that one mission on which you managed to sprain...what was it, Jennifer, both his elbow and his knee?"

Jennifer had just taken a sip of coffee and narrowly avoided choking.

John's face darkened. "That's the one I don't think I'll ever forget," he said, poking at his food with a fork. "That was the trip that somehow ignited your ATA gene. You know, I can't make that control panel you love so much even work." He referred to a panel in the control that had shown itself to Rodney a few months after his marriage to Jennifer. On it were controls to a program for automatic aiming and firing of drones from the Chair without an occupant. It had helped during the last siege, in which John had gotten knocked out and Rodney had to take over defense of the city and was blocked from the Chair room.

Before long, the hour had nearly passed, and Teyla stood from the table. "I believe your two eldest will be arriving shortly," she said with a glimmer in her eye. She also was excited to see the McKay kids after so long an absence. Laura pulled Jennifer into a tight hug and then did the same to Rodney; Carson embraced the McKays as well.

The Gateroom was crowded when they got there; they had to squeeze through half a dozen knots of military personnel and civilians before reaching the forefront, where the _kawoosh _would just end. Richard Woolsey's replacement, their very own Daniel Jackson (Vala was at his side), waited to greet them. "Morning and congrats," he said with a smile. "Due in about three minutes."

Right on time, the Stargate lit up and the aqua explosion settled. "Midway, sir," Chuck said, addressing Daniel. He didn't even wait for confirmation before lowering the golden shield.

First through was Chris, followed by Sara and Cassie. Then Jack and Sam came through, and Cameron, Carolyn, Teal'c, Ish'ta, Ry'ac and his wife, Walter, Siler, and a dozen other members of the SGC. Rodney and Jennifer were overwhelmed; they had only expected the first eight as guests. Enthusiastic greetings, hugs and kisses were exchanged, and before long the whole group was beneath the pavilion set up on the same pier on which Rodney had proposed to Jennifer. The significance was not lost on them.

Jennifer stood up at the head table and tapped her glass with her knife. The hum of conversation died away, and she found herself gazing out on the faces of family and friends that had been in her life for over twenty years. The warm feeling in her heart intensified. Jennifer smiled at them.

"Today...Rodney and I celebrate twenty years of marriage. Through Wraith, Ori, Replicators, Goa'uld, and rogue Asgard, and a million other idiosyncrasies of Pegasus, we have prevailed. This is a victory," she said with emotion. The only sound besides her voice was the Atlantean wind. "A triumph to say that our love outlasted the trials and tribulations exacerbated and made worse by the mere fact of living in another galaxy. Not only would it be impossible to avoid each other," she paused when she heard a smattering of laughter, "it's unwise. I guess our life together can be seen as a symbol of unity for this city—this magnificent city that has been home to most if not all of us for some chapter of our lives.

"This place is special. It's special to a lot of us because we found our other halves here." She thought of Laura and Carson, Amelia and Ronon, Chuck and Dusty, Teyla and John, and Evan and his Athosian wife. "But this isn't just New Athos. It's New Earth." She looked down at her husband sitting next to her, who smiled so lovingly her breath caught. "It's our children's home. It's a place that we will never willingly leave, at least not while its defense is still capable." Her eyes remained locked with Rodney's. "We've had twenty years on Atlantis, Rodney. Let's make it a hundred more."

With those words the pavilion erupted in cheers and applause, and Rodney stood swiftly, took Jennifer in his arms and kissed her. They could hear John whistling in the hubbub, but all they felt and saw was each other.

She is the physician; he the physicist.

Their love became legendary.

_A/N: Man. That's it. The end. Fin. I can't believe it's over...but it is. Thanks to everyone who has stayed with this story since its inception and many thanks to everyone who reviewed! Special mention goes to DaniWilder, theicemenace, DaletheChu, Whirlwind421, ElisaD263, and LetyBaroque, for your continuous reviews and especially DaniWilder for her encouragement through the evil land of sparse updates. And now...onto the next great project? :) _


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